Information and Travel Guide for Helsinki-Vantaa International Airport Helsinki-Vantaa International Airport, Germany (HEL)
Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, more commonly referred to as the Helsinki Airport is located just three miles from the center of Vantaa in Finland. As Finland's main international airport, Helsinki takes on over 12.5 million passengers each year.
History
The Helsinki-Vantaa Airport was originally constructed to take on the air traffic for the Summer Olympics of 1952. During that time it saw thousands of passengers and by 2011 it was handling over 14 million passengers for the year. Currently the airport is divided into two terminals that are located about 820 feet apart. The first terminal was constructed with the original structure in 1952 and the second terminal was added to accommodate additional passengers in 2009. Since its original construction, the Helsinki Airport has been expanded to take on more planes and passengers, especially since it is the main Nordic Airway hub.
Services and Amenities
Cash, ATMs and currency exchange services
Lost and found luggage services
Conference centers
Business centers that have free Wi-Fi, faxing and workstations
Seven duty-free shopping centers
Local and high-end retailers including Mulberry and Capi Home
Over a dozen restaurants with a wide variety of food, drinks and cafe options
Internet kiosks
Pharmacy
Barber shop
Spa and sauna
Free Wi-Fi in the terminal buildings
Parking
The Helsinki Airport has over five different parking zones for short and long-term parking. Prices are made out per hour or day. Shorter parking visits can be charged out at ten minute increments, depending on the lot.
Surrounding Area
The best way to get around the Helsinki area is through the use of buses or taxis. Buses, trams and trains crisscross across the country and for most travellers it will take about 30 minutes or less to get anywhere in the city. Those who will be visiting for an extended period of time should look into Helsinki Kortii Cards. These discount travel cards offer unlimited public transit travel.
Once in the city there are numerous options for what to see and where to go. Travellers who want to stay within the city will have a wide variety of hotels, resorts and overnight options.
Those travelling with kids will be in luck since the city is very family oriented. Parents can take their children to the local zoo, the model-collection shop and the Ehrensvard Museum. Those who want to see the Olympic Stadium from 1952 will be able to walk through it during the day. For those in the city for shopping, Helsinki offers a wide variety of local and high-end retailers. The Hietalahden area will open early in the morning and offer shopping all the way until early afternoon. Most stores are closed in the area on Sundays, but a few tourist stores will remain open.
Contact Information:
Telephone: +358 (0)9 82771 or 61511 Fax: (0)9 8277 3296 Address: Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, PO Box 29, FIN-01531 Vantaa, Finland E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.helsinki-vantaa.fi Time Zone: GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October) Location: The airport is located 18km (11 miles) north of Helsinki Country code: 358 IATA airport code: HEL