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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]]).

<map lat='60.2' lng='24.935' zoomHitching in ='11' view='3' height='350' float='right' country='Finland'/>

If Note, however, that if the driver is not going directly to drops you off in the Helsinki city centreneighbouring communities of Espoo or Vantaa, then it is a good idea journey to ask to be dropped off at a Helsinki by train stopor bus will cost 5€ (regional ticket). At train stops there  July 2015: Commuter trains (named with letters) are ticket machines blackrideable. There is staff in grey vests and green-white striped shirts selling tickets but not checking. Beware of groups of controllers in blue uniforms, they happen randomly, not too frequently. If you hitch a cargo boat from Tallinn your driver will most likely land at Vuosaari marina that sell is a bit far from the 1-day and 3-day public transportation passes city as from the closest metro stop (last stop, Vuosaari). Better if you need itcan ask him/her/them to take you at the station otherwise you might have to walk a bit.. When arriving on a normal ferry from Tallinn, while on buses you can only pay hitchhike already on the price car deck of a single journey (2the ferry some 30 minutes before arrival.50€)You will leave the ferry sitting in the car and it will take you somewhere far beyond the city limits.

The easiest place to get a lift north is the petrol station complex ''Neste Keimolanportti itä'' situated in the suburb of Vantaa. Take There is one bus 474 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 station until the stop ''Kivistön kirkko''. The journey takes about 40 minutes and you need a Helsinki region ticket (4€€4.50). When you get off the bus, walk southwest along the road ''Laavatie'' and then south on the national road ''Vanha Hämeenlinnantie''. After 100 m you can see the petrol station complex to the west. 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 the exit with a sign.

If you don't wait It is possible to spend 4€ on a regional bus ticket, you can also take a bus with a cheaper city ticket (2.60€ to the northern end of the street commuter train ''Mannerheimintie'P', where the road ''Hämeenlinnanväylä'' starts. From the west side of the from central railway station, take bus 43, 452 or 63 to the stop ''Ruskeasuon varikkoKivistö'' and hitchhike straight from , which is very near to the bus stoptargeted petrol (check map). The downside Commuter trains may be blackrideable, frequency of this place controllers is that traffic passes by very quicklyunknown (controllers wear blue uniforms. Grey + green-white striped uniforms belong to train staff who sell tickets, and many drivers are reluctant to stop at a busy bus stop. If your driver is not going very far, ask him to drop you off at the petrol station ''Neste Keimolanportti itä'' mentioned abovecheck).

=== Northeast If you don't wait to [[Lahti]]spend 4€ on a regional bus ticket, [[Jyväskylä]] you can also take a bus with a cheaper city ticket (also okay for [[Porvoo]]€2.80 to the northern end of the street ''Mannerheimintie'', where the road ''Hämeenlinnanväylä'' starts. From the west side of the central railway station, take bus 43, [[Kotka]]452 or 63 to the stop ''Ruskeasuon varikko'' and hitchhike straight from the bus stop. The downside of this place is that traffic passes by very quickly, [[Kouvola]] and [[Saint Petersburg]]) {{E|75}} ===many drivers are reluctant to stop at a busy bus stop. If your driver is not 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 stop called "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 ringroad number IIIRing 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 it is impossible without itone. Stand just behind the traffic lights and there will be plenty of space for the cars to stop. It could be a good idea to stand before the bus stop, so that the cars can actually pull over to into the stop, because it is 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 leave drop you out off between the bus stop and the junction where the motorways split...

Another option using TRAMIn case you can't find a satisfying ride within a reasonable time (can happen, especially on Sunday mornings), easier to black ride than buses:Go hitch from here to the crossroad junction with ring road III (make a sign for one of Valtimontie the suburbs behind, e.g. Järvenpää). Get out once you have passed the junction, and Kustaa Vaasantie using tram #6 or #8 Arabiankatu stop. Walk back to hitch on the main road 800mts. Try connecting the super long bus stop or go further up following ring road and the same street until it becomes a highwaymotorway. There Half of the traffic is a bus stop after driving very fast, the motorway signother half rather slow – however, but the police usually donyou't care. Sign highly recommended since the road splits ll find much more long distance traffic here than in 2Valtimontie.Note that this is officially a motorway, so hitching is actually forbidden!

=== East There is another option using the tram, which are easier to [[Porvoo]], [[Kotka]], [[Russia]]n borderblackride 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, [[Saint Petersburg]] {{E|18}} ===but the police usually don't care. Sign highly recommended since the road splits in two.

There is another option === East to at least [[Porvoo]], though it is superseded by the route mentioned above and waiting times can be extremely long. Take the metro to the Mellunmäki station[[Kotka]], then take buses 56K[[Russia]] border, 86 or 87 [[St. Petersburg|Saint Petersburg]] {{E|18}} === [[File:Helsinkieast-map.png|thumb|right|250px|How to reach the Kuussillantie stopeastbound junction on foot]][[File:Helsinkieast-signs. jpg|thumb|left|250px|Signs marking the Helsinki eastbound junction]] The bus driver may not know fastest way to go east is to walk to the name junction of Ring Road III and the stop, but if you mention that it is motorway from the Esso metro station before ''Mellunmäki''. This is about a 40 minute journey on foot (see image). Once at the bridgejunction, he can then alert you when it is time easy to get off. On the corner a few metres toward ride as short as the bridge from the McDonald's and the Essosuburbs or as far as Saint Petersburg. With so many options, you'll see cars entering it is wise to turn down any ride not going all the junction of Ring 3 and motorway 7. Stand right before the no pedestrian signway to your destination.

Some Take bus 18 from the west side of the drivers say though Central Railway Station to the Niemenmäki stop. A little further ahead from the bus stop and across from the street is the entry ramp onto the motorway. 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 pretty hard not legal). If you want to stay the right side of the law, it's recommended to stop there and have advised hitchhiking hitchhike with a sign at the Niemenmäki bus stop ; however, traffic going in this direction will already be filtering into the left lanes (away from the bus stop) to turn onto the on '''-ramp. Alternatively, it is possible to stand on the grass verge dividing Huopalahdentie''' right before and ask drivers as they are waiting to turn at the ramplights. 

Take the national road /motorway 51 that starts in the southwestern part of the central city area. You may can take the metro to the end station in the west: ''Ruoholahti''. When you leave the station it's to the Walk (north (to the right hand side as compared to the direction of travel). You have to go through for one block of buildings past the ''Kauppakeskus'' (shopping centre) to the next big street(Porkkalankatu). You should find yourself right there near Cross over to the other side of the street and a big bit further on is the junction where of the motorway goes off onto a bridgeand Porkkalankatu. There are good possibilities The best place to stand – either a is on Porkkalankatu at the start of the bus stop right lane before the traffic lights or ''Länsiväylä'' bus stop. Use a large [[sign here. On the motorway, the hard shoulder]] around starts about 50m up and it is not very wide and so it is very difficult for cars to stop there. However, hitching right at the beginning, at the corner on where the beginning continuation of the 'bus lane' turns into the motorway., it is possible for cars to pull over into this lane (if there are no buses coming!) 

It's unclear if you can find 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 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 Riga 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]

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