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Another There is another option using TRAMthe tram, easier to black ride blackride than buses:. Go to the crossroad of Valtimontie and Kustaa Vaasantie using tram #6 or #8 Arabiankatu stop. Walk back to the main road 800mts. 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 2.
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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]]. Helsinki is a nice place and worth staying for a couple of nights. Its a rather small city with about a million inhabitants on the metropolitan area and quite relaxed atmosphere).
<map lat='60.2' lng='24.935' zoom='11' view='3' height='350' float='right' country='Finland'/>
== Hitching In in ==
If the driver is not going directly to the Helsinki city centre, then it is a good idea to ask to be dropped off at a train stop. At train stops there are ticket machines that sell the 1-day and 3-day public transportation passes if you need it, while on buses you can only pay the price of a single journey (2.50€).
If you don't wait 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 ''Mannerheimintie'', where the road ''Hämeenlinnanväylä'' starts. From the west side of the central railway station, take bus 43, 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, 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 above.
=== Northeast to [[Lahti]], [[Jyväskylä]] (also okay for [[Porvoo]], [[Kotka]], [[Kouvola]] and [[Saint Petersburg]]) {{EEuropean 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 is impossible without it. 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 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 you out between the bus stop and the junction where the motorways split...
[[File:P8230246.JPG|thumb|240px|right|Hitchhiking to Jyväskylä]]
In case you can't find a satisfying ride within a reasonable time (can happen, specially on Sunday morning), hitch from here to the junction with ring road III (make a sign for one of the suburbs behind, e.g. Järvenpää). Get off once you passed the junction, and hitch on the road connecting the ring road and the motorway. Half of the traffic is driving very fast, the other half rather slow – however, here are much more long - distance - going - cars to find than in Valtimontie. Note that this is officially a motorway, so hitching is actually forbidden! However, Joeri found this spot much better than Valtimontie.
=== East to [[Porvoo]], [[Kotka]], [[Russia]]n border, [[Saint Petersburg]] {{E|18}} ===
The fastest way to get go east is to walk to the junction of Ring Road III and the motorway from the metro station ''Mellunmäki''. This is about a 40 minute journey on foot. [[File:Helsinkieast-map.png|thumb|right|250px|How to reach the eastbound junction on foot]] Once at the junction, it is easy to get a ride as short as the suburbs or as far as Saint Petersburg. With so many options, it is wise to turn down any ride not going all the way to your destination. [[File:Helsinkieast-signs.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Signs marking the Helsinki eastbound junction]] There is another option 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, then take buses 56K, 86 or 87 to the Kuussillantie stop. The bus driver may not know the name of the stop, but if you mention that it is the Esso station before the bridge, he can then alert you when it is time to get off. On the corner a few metres toward the bridge from the McDonald's and the Esso, you'll see cars entering the junction of Ring 3 and motorway 7. Stand right before the no pedestrian sign.
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 little further from the bus stop and cross to the other side of the street. You'll find the entry ramp onto the motorway. I recommend standing right in front of the large side with a graphic symbolizing the motorway, as then you'll be seen by cars coming from both directions, and there's sufficient room for a car to stop. Use a sign, not everyone taking this route is going all the way to Turku.
