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Helsinki
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'''Helsinki''' is the capital of [[Finland]]. Most of the Many foreign hitchhikers enter the country here, either by boat from [[Tallinn]] of or by plane to the Helsinki international airport - (which is not actually in Helsinki, but in the neighbouring community of [[Vantaa]]).
=== North to [[Hämeenlinna]], [[Tampere]] {{E|12}} === The easiest place to get a lift north is the petrol station complex ''Neste Keimolanportti itä'' situated in the suburb of Vantaa. There is another option one bus station right in front of the petrol station called Keimola. Check the easiest way to get there with the [http://www.reittiopas.fi/ Journey Planner of Helsinki Region Transport]. The journey from the west side of the central railway takes about 40 minutes and you need a Helsinki region ticket (€4.50). The petrol station is located north of Helsinki's ring roads, so traffic is going long-distance. It is very easy to get a lift straight to Hämmenlinna or Tampere if you just stand at least Porvoothe exit with a sign. It is possible to take commuter train '''P''' from central railway station to ''Kivistö'', though it which is superseded by very near to the route mentioned above and waiting times targeted petrol (check map). Commuter trains may be blackrideable, frequency of controllers is unknown (controllers wear blue uniforms. Grey + green-white striped uniforms belong to train staff who sell tickets, not check). If you don't wait to spend 4€ on a regional bus ticket, you can be extremely longalso take a bus with a cheaper city ticket (€2.80 to the northern end of the street ''Mannerheimintie'', where the road ''Hämeenlinnanväylä'' starts. Take From the metro to west side of the Mellunmäki central railway station, then take buses 56Kbus 43, 86 452 or 87 63 to the Kuussillantie stop ''Ruskeasuon varikko'' and hitchhike straight from the bus stop. The downside of this place is that traffic passes by very quickly, and many drivers are reluctant to stop at a busy bus stop. If your driver may is not know the name of going very far, ask him to drop you off at the petrol station ''Neste Keimolanportti itä'' mentioned above. === Northeast to [[Lahti]], [[Jyväskylä]] {{European Route Number|75}} === There's a bus stopcalled "Valtimontie" and you can reach it with several bus lines: 68X, 70, 70T, 73, 73N, 75, 77, 730-732, 734, 740-742, 738. The motorway splits into two slightly before Ring Road 3. Road number 4 goes towards north/northeast (Lahti, Jyväskylä), while road number 7 goes towards east (Kotka, Kouvola, Saint Petersburg, and so on). This place works okay with a sign, but if you mention that it is impossible without one. Stand just behind the traffic lights and there will be plenty of space for the Esso station cars to stop. It could be a good idea to stand before the bridgebus stop, he so that the cars can then alert you when actually pull over into the stop, because it is time actually illegal to stop after the traffic lights (at least some drivers think so). You should also make sure the driver is really going to your way, because there's no place to get drop you offbetween the bus stop and the junction where the motorways split. On [[File:P8230246.JPG|thumb|240px|right|Hitchhiking to Jyväskylä]] In case you can't find a satisfying ride within a reasonable time (can happen, especially on Sunday mornings), hitch from here to the corner junction with ring road III (make a few metres toward sign for one of the bridge from suburbs behind, e.g. Järvenpää). Get out once you have passed the junction, and hitch on the road connecting the McDonald's ring road and the Essomotorway. Half of the traffic is driving very fast, the other half rather slow – however, you'll see cars entering find much more long distance traffic here than in Valtimontie. Note that this is officially a motorway, so hitching is actually forbidden! There is another option using the tram, which are easier to blackride than buses. Go to the crossroad of Valtimontie and Kustaa Vaasantie using tram #6 or #8 : Arabiankatu stop. Walk 800m back to the main road. Try the super long bus stop or go further up following the same street until it becomes a highway. There is a bus stop after the motorway sign, but the police usually don't care. Sign highly recommended since the road splits in two. === East to [[Porvoo]], [[Kotka]], [[Russia]] border, [[St. Petersburg|Saint Petersburg]] {{E|18}} === [[File:Helsinkieast-map.png|thumb|right|250px|How to reach the eastbound junction on foot]][[File:Helsinkieast-signs.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Signs marking the Helsinki eastbound junction]] The fastest way to go east is to walk to the junction of Ring 3 Road III and highway 7the motorway from the metro station ''Mellunmäki''. This is about a 40 minute journey on foot (see image). Once at the junction, it is easy to get a ride as short as the suburbs or as far as Saint Petersburg. Stand right before With so many options, it is wise to turn down any ride not going all the no pedestrian signway to your destination.
If you go further than to Porvoo, there is a rest stop halfway between Helsinki and Porvoo, so ask to drop you there. All there is is toilets and a café, so it's most efficient in the morning time. From there, find a ride at least to Kotka.
=== West to [[Turku]] {{E|18}} === Take bus 18 from the west side of the Central Railway Station to the Niemenmäki stop. Going a A little further ahead from the bus stop and cross to the other side of across from the street. You'll find is the entry ramp onto the motorway. I recommend standing Unfortunately, there is absolutely nowhere safe for cars to pull over and stop for you here, at least not before the motorway sign. However, if you walk on 100m further after the sign, you will find that the hard shoulder begins and you can hitch there (of course, it's not legal). If you want to stay the right in front side of the large side law, it's recommended to hitchhike with a graphic symbolizing sign at the motorwayNiemenmäki bus stop; however, as then you'll traffic going in this direction will already be seen by cars coming filtering into the left lanes (away from both directionsthe bus stop) to turn onto the on-ramp. Alternatively, it is possible to stand on the grass verge dividing Huopalahdentie and thereask drivers as they are waiting to turn at the lights. === West (direction [[Hanko]]) === Take the national road/motorway 51 that starts in the southwestern part of the central city area. You can take the metro to the end station in the west: ''Ruoholahti''s sufficient room . Walk (north) for one block past the ''Kauppakeskus'' (shopping centre) to the next big street (Porkkalankatu). Cross over to the other side of the street and a car bit further on is the junction of the motorway and Porkkalankatu. The best place to stand is on Porkkalankatu at the start of the bus lane before the ''Länsiväylä'' bus stop. Use a signhere. On the motorway, the hard shoulder starts about 50m up and it is not everyone taking very wide and so it is very difficult for cars to stop there. However, hitching right at the beginning, at the corner where the continuation of the 'bus lane' turns into the motorway, it is possible for cars to pull over into this route lane (if there are no buses coming!) === South, ferry towards [[Tallinn]], [[Estonia]] === It's not possible to hitch rides with people going by car. If there is an extra passenger in a car or truck, an extra ticket has to be paid. But you can try to become a member of the Viking Club (only in Finnish, Swedish and Estonian) and get a free "picnic cruise" and just not use the return ticket. As of January 2020, the ticket price for viking lines buying it through the website '''in finnish''' is 12€ round-trip (you can use the outgoing way only, if you want). It is going around 30€ (?) the website in english language. You will have to fill a rather long form in the finnish version but you can always ask for help to a native finnish or use google translator. Note that you need to buy the ticket online at least 1h 30' earlier than when the ferry departs.' While on the ferry, you should hitchhike already on the car deck of the ship. Go to the car deck at least 30 minutes before arrival time to the harbour and start asking around. If you have a large backpack, keep in mind that at some point the car deck's doors will open and the cars will start flowing out into the harbour. You don't want to be between large trucks at that point! You should be able to get a ride at least until Pärnu this way, often all the way to TurkuRiga or through to Lithuania. If you're on your way to Poland or beyond, obviously look for Polish licence plates and talk to those people first. You can find boats from small harbors for sailboats. Distance to [[Tallinn]] is only 80km and small boats can do it easily. [http://venenetti.fi/satamat/ Catalog of harbors] ====Ferry companies====[https://www.eckeroline.fi/en/ Eckerö line] -> The cheapest one. 2 / 3 ferrys per day. One in the morning, one in the afternoon and one in the evening. Terminal 2 West.<br>[http://www.vikingline.com/ VikingLine] -> Cheaper when bought from the finnish website. They take longer and depart from a different terminal not close to the other ones.<br>[http://www.tallinksilja.com/en/ Tallink] -> Many times available but expensive and bad service. Terminal 2 West.<br>[http://www.lindaline.fi/en/ Linda line] == Sleeping ==
[https://www.facebook.com/groups/231814287333110/ Trustroots people in Helsinki FB group]
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