When traveling to a city, whether on business or for leisure, concerns about rental cars, traffic laws, or confusing roadways usually arise. Helsinki offers a completely different experience. You will not need to worry about driving or operating an automobile when you arrive in the city.
As you exit your plane or train, the Helsinki public transportation system is fully prepared to assist your travel needs before you even step foot outside of the terminal.
A Non-Noise, Non-Polluting, Non-Hurried Environment
The most noticeable difference you will notice about the city is how quiet and relaxed it feels. The abundance of walking areas, clean air that is not filled with pollution, and little to no congestion make this a peaceful yet busy city with many different transportation options (bus, tram, train, ferry) daily.
The way a city functions is by design. A city is not successful when it has “more transportation” options; it must have “better transportation” options for all types of commuters.
Helsinki was ranked among the best cities in the world for urban transport readiness in 2022 according to the International Transport Forum report titled The Future of Urban Transport. This report was not about speed, but considered multiple factors such as access to public transportation, sustainability, and usability.
To put it simply, what is the actual ease of commuting within a city without the headache of using a private vehicle? Helsinki received high rankings because it views public transport as an integral aspect of civic responsibility.
A City Built on Foot
Walking in this city is not an afterthought—it’s an integral part of its design. The wide sidewalks, logical crossings and coherent route layouts make walking easy even for people who have never been here before. Urban planning in this city prioritizes pedestrian and public transport access over the use of private vehicles. If a person does decide to use a private vehicle, they will be using an electric vehicle, which is supported by more environmentally friendly modes of transportation with lower levels of pollution emitted by the vehicles and lower noise levels associated with the vehicles, resulting in less air pollution and better quality air.
Everything is Linked
When you look at how everything works together, the connections made between the various modes of transport (e.g., buses, trams, metro and commuter trains), along with how the ferry system works, it becomes apparent how impressive Finland has been in creating a seamless connection amongst all types of transport under one system. Instead of having to purchase numerous tickets and use several different applications to find out how to get where you need to go, one travel planner will provide you with the information you need to reach your destination.
People living in areas far away from city centres have the same level of easy access to transportation as do city centre residents.
Finland is often referred to as one of the happiest places to live in the world; it is evident that the Finnish culture promotes reducing stress through the creation of its public infrastructure system, including the country’s transportation systems.
Life becomes lighter when daily movement is easy, predictable, and quiet. Helsinki does not preach sustainability; it creates systems where making green decisions is the easiest decision. Public transport is so functional that people use it because of its function, not because it is “cool.” Car-free zones exist because they make sense, not because someone thought they would be a trend. When we support multimodal travel, we are not forcing this upon people; we are giving people the best option.
This is very much in keeping with the Nordic way of thinking. Many places view the car as the ultimate way of getting around and achieving one’s freedom. In contrast, in Helsinki, the car is viewed as an obstacle to one’s freedom. You can make decisions about when to travel, how to travel, with no concerns related to traffic, parking, or gas prices. You experience the benefits of this flow and you wish that every city experienced life this way.
