Three days in Helsinki and I was on/off the HSL network constantly. Sure, Helsinki is a walkable city but after a while, a 1km walk is a hassle. Why go through that when there’s a cheap and easy system to hand?
For those considering travel in Helsinki, here’s what you need to know:
1. Install HSL app to purchase your day pass. For €9.00 for the first day and then €4.50 for each additional day, you don’t have to deal with ticketing machines at all. I did not encounter an inspector, but they do exist. Be ready to launch the app when you’re on the trains.
2. The M1/M2 lines are very easy to understand – they just go back and forth. They each split at each end, but the majority of the system is overlapped.
3. The trams are easy! Just wait at a stop, board when it arrives. You do not need to show payment to the driver.
The metro stations are handicapped accessible. The ones I visited are all island platforms, so the door opens on the left. When I boarded a train in the wrong direction, my u-turn at the next station was easy.
I love cities with smooth and clean metro systems. It makes it so much easier to visit them. In Europe, Frankfurt, Madrid, Munich, Paris, Bilbao, Porto and now, Helsinki.
[Review 10051 overall, 1636 of 2018.]
Link: Helsingin seudun liikenne HSL, Helsinki, FI (11-21-2018)
