In this guide
💡 The Short Version: HSL (Helsingin seudun liikenne) runs Helsinki’s public transport. One ticket covers the green-and-yellow trams, the orange metro, commuter trains, buses and the Suomenlinna ferry, with free transfers. Central sightseeing needs only a Zone AB ticket; to or from Helsinki Airport, buy a Zone ABC ticket (valid 110 minutes). Buy in the HSL app, at ticket machines, or tap a contactless card on board. Or book a tour: a hop-on hop-off bus and archipelago cruise ticketad from €50 covers a day of sightseeing by land and water.
⚠️ Buy before you board or pass the gates. Drivers do not sell tickets and no vehicle takes cash. You can tap a card on a tram or bus, but the metro and the Suomenlinna ferry pier have payment areas where you must buy or tap before the gates. The penalty fare for travelling without a valid ticket is €100.00 plus the single fare.
How the HSL zone system works
The network has four concentric tariff zones, A to D, spreading out from the city centre:
- Zone A: Central Helsinki (inner urban core, Kluuvi, Kamppi, Katajanokka, Töölö, Kallio, and the Suomenlinna islands).
- Zone B: Outer Helsinki neighbourhoods and eastern suburbs, plus eastern Espoo (Tapiola).
- Zone C: Vantaa (including Helsinki Airport), western Espoo (Nuuksio National Park, Haltia), and Kauniainen.
- Zone D: Outlying municipalities (Kerava, Kirkkonummi, Sipoo, Tuusula).
The “No Single-Zone” rule
HSL does not sell a ticket for a single zone. You must buy at least two adjacent zones:
- Zone AB: Central Helsinki and the inner city sights, the Design District, Seurasaari and the Suomenlinna ferry. Most visitors need only this.
- Zone ABC: Needed between central Helsinki and Helsinki Airport or Nuuksio National Park.
- Zone ABCD: The whole metropolitan region.
Ticket validity
Every ticket allows free transfers between trams, metro, buses, commuter trains and municipal ferries within its time window. If it expires while you are on board, you may finish that journey.
| Ticket type | Validity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Single ticket | 80 mins (AB) / 110 mins (ABC) | Unlimited transfers within the time limit |
| Day passes | 24, 48 or 72 hours | Sold in the HSL app and at vending machines |
| 7-day pass | 7 days | Best for week-long stays |
Child discounts: Children aged 7 to 17 pay exactly 50% of the adult tariff. Children under 7 travel free.
HSL tram on Aleksanterinkatu. Photo: Leonhard Lenz, Wikimedia Commons, CC0.
Three ways to buy HSL tickets
1. The HSL app
The official HSL app (iOS and Android):
- Gives route directions, walking maps and live vehicle tracking.
- Accepts a credit or debit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay.
- Sells single tickets and multi-day passes. A countdown timer on screen is your ticket for inspectors.
2. Tapping a contactless card
Every tram, bus, commuter train carriage and metro entrance has blue card readers:
- How to tap: Choose your zones on the touch screen (“AB” or “ABC”), then hold your contactless card, phone or smartwatch to the reader until it chirps green.
- Daily cap: If you make several journeys within 24 hours on the same card or device, you are never charged more than the price of a 24-hour pass.
- One device only: The system treats a physical card and the same card in Apple or Google Pay as separate payment methods, so use one throughout the day for the cap to apply.
3. Ticket machines and shops
Card-only ticket machines stand at Helsinki Central Station, major metro stations and ferry terminals. Printed barcode tickets are sold at R-Kioski, S-Market and K-Market.
Exploring the transport network by mode
Helsinki Central Railway Station. Photo: Jorge Láscar, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
The tram network (Raitiovaunut)
Helsinki’s green-and-yellow trams have run since 1891 and were electrified in 1900. They run from 05:30 to 01:30 daily. Board through any door; you do not show your ticket to the driver:
- Tram lines 2 and 3 (the sightseeing loop): Together they trace a figure of eight through central Helsinki. Line 2 passes the Central Railway Station, the Esplanade, Market Square and the Olympic Stadium. Line 3 loops through Kallio and Töölö.
- Tram line 4 (architecture and churches): Runs from Katajanokka (past Uspenski Cathedral) through Senate Square and along Mannerheimintie, past the Finnish Parliament to Töölö, for the Sibelius Monument and Temppeliaukio Church.
- Tram Lines 7 and 9 (Ferry connections): Connect Central Station directly to West Terminal 2 (Länsiterminaali T2) in Jätkäsaari for Tallink and Eckerö Line fast ferries to Tallinn.
- Tram Line 5: Connects Central Station directly to Katajanokka Terminal for Viking Line departures.
Orange metro train, Helsinki. Photo: Coen, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The Helsinki Metro
The metro has orange trains and stations cut into bedrock:
- Layout: One east-west line that forks at Itäkeskus into two branches (M1 to Vuosaari and M2 to Mellunmäki).
- Key central stations: Kamppi (underground bus terminal and shopping), Rautatientori (Central Railway Station) and Helsingin yliopisto (University of Helsinki and Senate Square).
- Frequency: Trains leave every 2.5 to 5 minutes and link eastern Helsinki with western Espoo.
The Suomenlinna municipal ferry
The white-and-blue municipal commuter ferry operated by Suomenlinnan Liikenne departs from the eastern edge of Market Square (Kauppatori) facing the Presidential Palace:
- Crossing time: 15 minutes across South Harbour to the main quay on Iso Mustasaari.
- Timetable: Operates 365 days a year from 06:00 until 02:20, departing every 15 to 20 minutes in summer and hourly in midwinter.
- Cost: Covered completely by standard Zone AB tickets and HSL day passes. Tap your card or scan your app ticket at the turnstiles before boarding; see our Suomenlinna ferry guide.
Trunk bus routes and commuter rail
- Orange trunk buses (Runkolinjat): Heavy-capacity rapid transit buses operating on dedicated lanes (such as lines 500, 510, and 600). You may board through any door with a valid mobile or tapped card ticket.
- Blue city buses: Regular local municipal buses. Passengers must board through the front door and present their ticket to the driver or card reader.
- Commuter trains (Lähijunat): Depart from the outdoor platform tracks of Helsinki Central Station serving suburban hubs, Espoo, Vantaa, and the airport Ring Rail Line (lines I and P); see our Helsinki Airport to city guide.
Special travel privileges: pushchairs, bikes, and luggage
- Pushchairs: An adult with a child aged 0 to 6 in a pram or pushchair travels free on all HSL buses, trams, metro lines and municipal ferries, with no ticket or tap needed.
- Bicycles: Allowed free on the metro and commuter trains outside rush hours when there is space. Not allowed on trams and buses.
- Luggage: Suitcases, backpacks and sports equipment travel free on all services.
What to explore next
- From the airport: the Helsinki Airport to city guide.
- Suomenlinna: a Zone AB ticket covers the Suomenlinna sea fortress ferry.
- Paying for things: the money in Helsinki guide.
Common questions
How long is a single public transport ticket valid in Helsinki?
A single Zone AB ticket is valid for 80 minutes on all trams, metro trains, municipal ferries, buses and commuter trains in Helsinki. A Zone ABC ticket (needed to or from Helsinki Airport) is valid for 110 minutes. Children under 7 travel free.
Can you ride the Suomenlinna ferry with a standard HSL ticket?
Yes. The municipal ferry from Market Square (Kauppatori) to Suomenlinna is part of the HSL network. A Zone AB single ticket or a day pass covers the crossing.
Can you pay with a contactless bank card on Helsinki trams and buses?
Yes. HSL trams, buses, commuter trains and metro stations have blue contactless card readers. Tap a Visa or Mastercard, Apple Pay or Google Pay to buy a single adult ticket. HSL caps your daily spending at the price of a 24-hour day pass.
Is buying an HSL day pass worth it in Helsinki?
HSL sells 24-hour, 48-hour and 72-hour day passes, which suit sightseeing days with many short trips. Check the price in the HSL app.
Do parents with pushchairs travel free on Helsinki public transport?
Yes. An adult travelling with a child aged 0 to 6 in a pram or pushchair travels free on all HSL buses, trams, metro lines and municipal ferries, with no ticket needed.
