Independent travel / public transport in Helsinki

[GastroGnome]

Can anyone comment on the ease of independent travel in Helsinki?  Specifically we need to get to Korkee Park -  which is opposite the zoo if that helps. It reads on the internet that this should be perfectly possible but I'd appreciate some first hand experience.

[dogs4fun]

4 hours ago, GastroGnome said:

Can anyone comment on the ease of independent travel in Helsinki?  Specifically we need to get to Korkee Park -  which is opposite the zoo if that helps. It reads on the internet that this should be perfectly possible but I'd appreciate some first hand experience.

Not sure if you want to utilize public transportation during your independent travel but that is what we do when we visit Helsinki - their system is excellent. Of course, taxi is also an option.

It is very easy to utilize public transportation in Helsinki. You can reach Korkee Amusement park via public transportation. Check-out the excellent tourist information site here:

https://www.myhelsinki.fi/en/info/getting-around

And you can enter your starting and ending point on Google Maps for precise directions and modes of transportation. I checked using Market Square as my starting point and travel time to reach Korkee via tram #16 is 28 minutes.

There is a local who posts on the Helsinki forum - hopefully they will see your post and can offer further info.

Edited January 13, 2020 by dogs4fun

[GastroGnome]

Thank you.  The cruise line proposes to charge £127pp for transport and entry - presumably alongside 50 odd others. But entry is about 24E based on 2019 prices and transport about 9E  So I thought we would hop off first thing and do the park in the morning (Cruise tour is in the afternoon). Good to know it is do-able!

[Hezu]

Since I live here in Helsinki, I am perhaps not the right person to comment how a tourist will see the ease of indepent exploring, but I think generally there shouldn't be any big problems. The public transport network is rather extensive, although for certain routes the public transport option might not be fastest and take little detour before you reach your destination.

 

Now, assuming the cruise ship docks at Hernesaari, it is not too complicated to get from there to Mustikkamaa (and Korkee park there). There is basicly two options with one change in each: combination of busses 17 and 16 or first bus 14 to Kamppi and from there metro to Kalasatama and then fairly long hike to Mustikkamaa. Also if you have any interest in Korkeasaari zoo, another option might be also to take the water bus from Market Square to Korkeasaari. Note that the waterbus is not part of the regular Helsinki region public transport system. Also I think this option might require returning using ground transport from Mustikkamaa as I suppose the zoo ticket does not let you back in once you have exited the zoo.

 

When I looked at Korkee website, I also noticed they do have another location in Paloheinä. Travel times to there are bit longer (over one hour), but then you could see somewhat different parts of Helsinki.

 

In any case, the HSL route planner is great way to check how to get from one place to another using public transport in Helsinki region. Also if your phone operator offers decent roaming rates when in Finland, then install HSL app as it incorporates the route planner and ability to purchase tickets. If you think you might need four or more single tickets (for AB zone, these are valid for 80 minutes with unlimited changes between busses, trams, metro, local trains and Suomenlinna ferry) then it is good idea to get a 24h ticket for 8 € instead since individual single ticket costs 2,80 € (or 4 € if bought from bus driver!).