Help on Helsinki Bus/Tram Routes

[Doeymeister]

We dock at West Harbor, and it looks like we can pick up bus 15A at Lansiterminaali and take it to the end of the line at Elialinaukio. From there, it appears that we are close to the 3B/3T tram stop at Rautatiesema.

 

Questions:

 

1) Do you know if we can purchase a tourist travel card at Lansitermainaali?

 

2) How does one get from Elianaukio to Rautatieasema, or are these the same stop? They are so close together on the map that I can't tell anything.

 

3) Do 3B/3T have separate northern and southern loops, or do both simply go in a rough figure 8. I ask this because the timetables only show the Rautatieasema stop on the northern longer loop, which is not the route we wish to take. If Rautatieasema is only part of the northern loop, how do we connect to the southern loop? We are interested in visiting Market Square and surrounding area.

 

Thanks for your help.

[Ultima Thule]

I suggest you double check what berth the ship will be using.

Almost all cruise ships will dock on the LHB or LHC berths on the east shore (hernesaari) of the Western Harbour rather than the west shore (jätkäsaari) and that would mean busses 16 or 14B rather than bus 15A.

 

http://www.portofhelsinki.fi/default.asp?docId=13051

 

1) You should be able to buy a one day tourist card from the driver for 6 Euro.

 

http://www.hel.fi/wps/portal/HKL_en/Artikkeli?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=/hkl/en/Tickets/Ticket+types/Tourist+Ticket

 

2) Elielinaukkio (Eliel's field) is a field on the west side of the central railway station (rautatieasema) where buses will stop. The trams will stop in front of (= southern end) of the railway station. Just follow the railway station wall to the corner and there over to street to the tram stops .

 

3) Both go in a rough figure 8. From the railway station 3B will continue northeast on the northern loop counterclockwise and after that do the southern loop clockwise. From the railway station 3T will go southwest into the southern loop, and circle it counterclockwise before doing the northern loop clockwise.

 

http://aikataulut.ytv.fi/reittiopas/en/line/?&adv=&maploc=&mapline=25%3A2%3A1003T+%3A20080121%3A&keya=&line=3t&a=&aa=&an=&mapstyle=&nk=1&map=&px=2552217&py=6673374&ppx=2552217&ppy=6674310&zx=2552217&zy=6673374&ss=&se=&click=2&hlterm=&hlloc=&p=2&print=&zoom=16&x=450&y=200&width=600&height=400&nc=1

 

So if you need to go southern loop clockwise you cannot do that straight from railway station but must in that case walk one block further south and then jump on 3B in front of the Stockmann department store.

[Doeymeister]

I suggest you double check what berth the ship will be using.

Almost all cruise ships will dock on the LHB or LHC berths on the east shore (hernesaari) of the Western Harbour rather than the west shore (jätkäsaari) and that would mean busses 16 or 14B rather than bus 15A.

 

That was my first thought as well, but the port info shows the Norwegian Jewel docking at berth LMA. I wish that we were in Hernesaari - the bus connection seems much easier.

 

Thank you so much for the information. I love to tour ports on my own, but I also like to know where I'm going before arriving.

[sea-explorer]

I'm not sure quite what your plans are but suspect your ship will have a shuttle to Market Square. You can catch the tram here. This I think would be the easiest. Info on the tram here.

 

http://www.hel.fi/wps/wcm/connect/8477a4804a17377d9402fc3d8d1d4668/3T_english_2007_net.pdf?MOD=AJPERES

 

 

You can also download an audio guide here.

 

http://www.learnoutloud.com/Catalog/Travel/Europe/Helsinki-Sightseeing-Tram-Audio-Guide/24800

[Ultima Thule]

...but must in that case walk one block further south and then jump on 3B in front of the Stockmann department store.

 

Clarification: Jumping on 3B in front of the Stockmann department store on Alexander street (stop Aleksanterinkatu), NOT on Mannerheim road as the latter one will go back to railway station.