Helsinki Vantaa Airport: where to stay, areas and recommended hotels

The Kehärata, the Ring Rail Line, links the terminals to the centre of Helsinki with trains every 10 minutes: 27 minutes on the P train via Tikkurila, 32 on the I train via Myyrmäki. Anyone with a few days for the city almost always finds it more convenient to sleep in the centre; an early-morning flight or a one-night stopover, on the other hand, are the cases where it's worth staying on the Vantaa side, close to the terminals. At Pasila, where the airport line reconnects with the main trains 5 minutes from the central station, there's also a convenient middle ground, with the Mall of Tripla shopping centre right above the station.

Vantaa, around the airport

Airport area · No chain hotel is connected to the terminals. The apartments in the Tammisto and Veromies-Aviapolis areas are 5-10 minutes by car from the terminals; Veromies-Aviapolis has its own station, Aviapolis, one stop on the Ring Rail Line from the airport.

Best for: Early-morning flights and one-night stopovers, when every minute of transfer time matters more than the appeal of the centre.

Pros

Free parking almost everywhere, useful for anyone arriving or leaving by car at night
Just minutes from the terminals without having to rely on train timetables

Cons

An office and warehouse area with very few restaurants outside the hotels themselves
Without a car you depend on taxis or local buses that run less often than the Ring Rail Line

Recommended hotels in this area

Only 9 mins from the airport 74,5 m2 apartment with free parking & beds for 7: A 74.5 sqm apartment with free parking and beds for 7, 9 minutes by car from the terminals according to the listing: useful for families or small groups with a very early flight.
Easy and short from the airport: A studio in the Veromies-Aviapolis area, a few minutes by car from the terminals and one stop from the Aviapolis station on the Ring Rail Line.
Guest apartment with authentic Finnish wooden sauna, 10 min drive from the airport: An apartment with an authentic Finnish wooden sauna, 10 minutes by car from the terminals: handy for a local ritual before a long flight.

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Pasila

Near the airport link · Pasila is the hub where the Ring Rail Line reconnects with the main line: it's about 20 minutes by train from the airport, and from Pasila the centre of Helsinki is another 5 minutes away.

Best for: Anyone who wants to stay along the rail line, halfway between the airport and the centre, with a shopping centre beneath the hotel.

Pros

A direct rail hub, useful even for anyone continuing their journey elsewhere in Finland
The Mall of Tripla shopping centre is in the same building as the station and one of the hotels

Cons

An office district with recent residential towers, with less historic charm than the centre
Evening life is concentrated in the shopping centre, with little else in the surrounding streets

Recommended hotels in this area

Original Sokos Hotel Tripla Helsinki: A hotel above Pasila railway station, with direct access to the Mall of Tripla shopping centre; all local and long-distance trains stop at Pasila.
Scandic Pasila: About 600 metres from the Messukeskus congress centre, designed for anyone attending trade fairs and events, with Pasila station just steps away.

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Helsinki centre and the central station

City centre · The P or I train of the Ring Rail Line from the central station in 27-32 minutes, with departures every 10 minutes during the day.

Best for: Anyone who wants shops, museums and the harbour within walking distance and the direct train to the airport from the central station.

Pros

The central station is linked to the metro and trams for the rest of the city
Shops, restaurants and evening life within walking distance of most hotels

Cons

Higher rates than in other parts of the city
On weekends the streets around the station stay busy and noisy until late

Recommended hotels in this area

Original Sokos Hotel Vaakuna Helsinki: Literally opposite the central station, about 100 metres from the platforms: handy for anyone arriving or leaving by train from the airport with luggage.
Scandic Grand Central Helsinki: In the historic art nouveau building by Eliel Saarinen, about 90 metres from the central station.
Marski by Scandic: On Mannerheimintie, about 300 metres from the central station, opposite the Stockmann department store and the Esplanadi.

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Kallio and Hakaniemi

Neighbourhood · 15-20 minutes on foot from the central station, or two metro stops; for the airport you still need to go via the central station or Pasila.

Best for: Anyone looking for a more authentic, less touristy district, with Hakaniemi's historic market and Kallio's nightlife venues.

Pros

Generally lower prices than the tight city centre
Hakaniemi's covered market and the Kallio district full of bars and restaurants frequented by locals

Cons

No Ring Rail Line station nearby: reaching the airport requires a change
A noisier area in the evening on weekends, especially around Kallio

Recommended hotels in this area

Scandic Hakaniemi: A short walk from Hakaniemi's covered market, in the Kallio district.
Scandic Kallio: In the heart of the Kallio district, about a 4-minute walk from the Linnanmäki amusement park.

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