In a compact city, everything is near

With a bike resting against at large tree to the right of the photo, two people sit on a bench looking out over Tokoinlahti Bay, the apartments of Säästöpankkiranta shoreline in the distance.
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Are you charmed by the buzz of a major city as well as a small town feeling? The Helsinki region has it all, and a city this size is easy to navigate from one neighbourhood and its unique atmosphere to the next.

Wherever you travel in Helsinki, you can reach your destination quickly and easily. The local train or bus takes you to the airport in a half hour, and the same amount of time is enough to bike through the city from east to west.

Traveling to other major Finnish cities is also fast with buses and trains. Tampere and Turku are two hours away, and Lahti, Hämeenlinna and Porvoo just an hour's travel outside of the city.

If you long for the peace and quiet of nature, the Nuuksio National Park is an apt destination that can be reached from central Helsinki in about one hour using public transport. Helsinki's naturally beautiful islands are easily reached via ferry connections – some in twenty minutes, and the closest ones in just three minutes. The sea also takes voyagers to the Estonian capital Tallinn in just 1.5 hours at the fastest.

A city where sea, nature and urban landscapes meet

Helsinki is Finland's most populated city with around half a million inhabitants. The whole metropolitan region encompasses also the adjacent cities of Espoo, Kauniainen and Vantaa bringing the total amount of inhabitants to about 1.1 million.

The total area of Helsinki is 214.25 square kilometres. It is a patchwork of urban culture, silent nature, a beautiful archipelago and attractive urban zones. Moving around the city is effortless as distances are short.

The population density is low on a Nordic scale, but relatively high for Finland. Services are divided in a diverse manner throughout different districts, and most often one does not need to travel far.

English

The quality of life in Helsinki is high. The size of the city is perfect, not too big nor small, and it is fast to get right into nature.

Payam Hosseini
Senior Test Automation Specialist
Stairs zig-zag up a hill completely surrounded by trees in full bloom in Central Park. A woman is climbing up the stairs in the distance.
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Short distances motivate walking and biking

The metropolitan area's comprehensive public transport system takes passengers from the western district of Matinkylä in Espoo to the easternmost district of Helsinki, Vuosaari, in around 40 minutes. The green and compact city makes traveling easy even without a private car or public transport.

The distances within the city are short and many choose to walk or ride a bike instead of cars and buses – some even in winter. The generally good air quality makes outdoor activities in Helsinki pleasant around the year.

The city bike system was set up in 2016 and since then locals and visitors have been using this very handy service. The city’s network of bike paths keeps growing every year. In addition to biking and walking, it is not unheard of to spot a local skiing to work in the winter season.

A comprehensive public transport system that is reliable and fast

Helsinki has a well-developed and functional public transport system. The metro takes passengers from western Espoo to eastern Helsinki near the Vantaa border, and the south-north axis of local trains quickly reaches the suburbs and the adjacent cities of Espoo, Kauniainen and Vantaa. These routes also include several west-east bus lines. The new speedy west-east local train line called the Raide-Jokeri will open soon.  

A very Helsinki addition is the year-round ferry route from the city centre to the fortress island of Suomenlinna, a popular destination full of history. The Helsinki Region travel card allows for travel on all connections, including the island ferry. Students under 30 residing in Finland are granted a 50 percent discount on the travel card.

And if you need a car, you can breathe a sigh of relief – congestions in Helsinki are never quite as bad as in most international cities.  

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Reasons to live in Helsinki
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Are you charmed by the buzz of a major city as well as a small town feeling? The Helsinki region has it all, and a city this size is easy to navigate from one neighbourhood and its unique atmosphere to the next.