Good to know
Here are a list of things we thought might be useful to you.
Alcohol
In Finland a person aged 20 can buy alcoholic drinks of any kind from an Alko store. People over 18 years of age and over can buy mild alcoholic drinks containing at most 22 per cent alcohol by volume, such as wines and beers. The sale of wine and spirits to the under -18s is prohibited by law. Customers may be asked to show a passport, identification card or driving licence as proof of age. Retail sales of alcohol take place through the Alko stores. Medium beer is also sold in supermarkets and other stores. In Finland any person who has reached the age of 18 may buy alcoholic beverages in a restaurant. Restaurants serve beer from 9.00 and other alcoholic beverages from 11.00. Service of alcohol ends half an hour before restaurant closing. The basic measure is 4 cl for spirits, 8 cl for fortified wines and 12 cl for table wines when ordered by the glass. Beer is generally served in third-of-a-litre bottles or half-litre draft measures. Not all restaurants are licensed to serve all alcoholic beverages.
Credit Cards
American Express, Diner's Club, Eurocard, Access, Master Card and Visa are accepted in hotels, restaurants, larger shops, and department stores. Visa Electron is also accepted in many shops and department stores.
Currency
Finland is a participant in the European single currency, so its monetary unit is the euro (EUR), divided into 100 cents. Finland is one of 12 euro states, along with Belgium, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Austria and Portugal.
Exchange Rates/Bank of Finland
Currency converter
Electric Appliances
The electric current in Finland is 220 V (230 V), 50 Hz. A two-pin plug system, familiar throughout Europe, is used. Adapters are available in airport shops.
Cellphones
European cellphone networks operate at 900 or 1800 MHz rfrequenzy while the United States us 1900 MHz frequenzy. This means that you need a different kind of phone if your coming from the US. Cellphone rentals are available at the airport from Air-Foto. European cellphone rentals prices start from 29e / week. You should also check from your mobile operator if they provide service in Finland. If they don't you will need to buy prepaid time from R-Kioski shops.
Foreign Exchange Offices
All banks:
open Mon-Fri 09.00-16.30 (office hours may vary regionally). Closed on Saturdays and Sundays.
Other exchange points:
Helsinki-Vantaa Airport: arrivals hall:
Sampo: Mon-Fri 06.00-23.00 and Sat, Sun 07.00-23.00, Travelex, arrivals hall 3, Daily: 8.30-23.30.
The department stores:
Stockmann also have exchange points.
Katajanokka ferry terminal:
Change group, Mon-Sun 10.15-12.30, 15.45-20.45, closed between 18.00-18.30.
Olympia ferry terminal:
Change group, Mon-Sat 09.30- 11.00, 15.00-16.45, Sun 15.00-16.45.
Helsinki:
Foreign currency and travellers' cheques can be exchanged in several currency exchange offices in the centre of
Helsinki, including Forex in the Railway Station, in Mannerheimintie opposite Stockmann, and in the Esplanade.
Helsinki Card
The Helsinki Card is a handy, economical way of making the most of your visit to Helsinki and can be bought and used at any time of the year. The Helsinki Card is a combined transport and entrance ticket and has a number of great discounts and bonuses attached. Helsinki Card sales points in Helsinki region include the Helsinki Expert Tour Shop at Pohjoisesplanadi 19; the Helsinki Expert Hotel Booking office in the concourse of the main Railway Station; hotel receptions; Silja Line ferries; Silja Line and Viking Line terminals; the tourist information desks at the airport; most R-kiosks in the city centre; and the Stockmann department store.
For further information and online sale, see the Helsinki Card web site at http://www.helsinkicard.fi/.
All the following are included in the price of the Helsinki Card:
* free unlimited travel on public transport in Helsinki
* free entrance to the most important sights and about 50 museums
* free entrance and boat transport to Suomenlinna island fortress and Helsinki Zoo
* free surprise gifts
* free guidebook with maps
* great discounts on sightseeing tours (60%), Finnair airport bus (30%), concert and opera tickets and car and bicycle hire (up to 50%), restaurants (up to 20%), and Tallinn cruises, for example.
The Helsinki Card is available in 24-hour, 48-hour and 72-hour versions, with validity starting from the time of first use.
Lost Property
Lost property: In Helsinki the Lost Property Service (Löytötavarapalvelu) is at Kauppiaankatu 8-10, 00160 Helsinki, tel. +358-(0)600 41006 (service number euro 1.67/min + local net charge), fax. +358-(0)9- 680 2306. Open Mon- Fri 9.00 - 18.00.
Opening Hours
Shops These times are a general guide, and there may be local and seasonal variations.Weekdays: 7.00- 9.00 to 20.00-21.00 Saturdays: 9.00 to 15.00-18.00 Sundays: Shops with a floor space of less than 400 square metres may open between 12.00-21.00 throughout the year. From June to August and in December, major department stores and countryside groceries may open on Sundays. Smaller shops, selling souvenirs, for instance, are mostly open from 9.00 to 17.00 on weekdays and from 9.00 to 14.00 on Saturdays. The shops in the Railway Station tunnel in Helsinki are open every day, including Sundays and public holidays, until 22.00. Alko stores – the only outlets for wines and spirits - are open from Mon-Thu 09.00 - 18.00, Fri 09.00 - 20.00, Sat 09.00 - 16.00 (18.00). Banks are open Mon-Fri 9.00-16.30 (office hours may vary regionally). Closed on Saturdays and Sundays.
Telephone numbers
General emergency number: 112
Emergency number / police: 10022
Flight information service number: 0200 14636
Taxi Helsinki: 0100 0700
Airport Taxi: 0600 555 555
Helsinki City Transportation service point: 09 472 2454
Time
Time in Finland is 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). The time difference between Eastern U.S. Standard Time and Finnish Standard Time is 7 hours. Finland is always one hour ahead of Central European Time (CET) and two hours ahead of time in the UK and Ireland. The 24-hour timetable is usually followed, so shop signs might read as follows, for example: 9.00-21.00 (meaning from nine to nine), or 07.00-19.00 (seven to seven).
Smoking Restrictions
Smoking is not permitted indoors in public buildings and other places open to the public, except in designated smoking zones. These zones are not available in facilities for children and other persons under eighteen. Smoking is also prohibited on trains, trams, buses or aircraft, schools and other educational institutions, offices and other places of work. In Finland you have to be 18 years old to buy cigarettes or other tobacco products.
Source: Finland Travel Guide
