What you should know before hiring a car in Helsinki
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Distance from Helsinki city centre |
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| 7 mi | ||
| 10 mi | ||
Car hires in Helsinki: practical information
Where to rent a car in Helsinki
Planning to spend your holidays in Finland? We don’t blame you! Start planning your trip with cheap flights to Helsinki and while you’re comparing offers and deals, don’t forget to also check out Helsinki car hires. Pick one up from Helsinki Airport and choose from Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt.
You can also pick up your Helsinki rent car from the city centre. Hertz and Avis have locations just north of the centre while Budget has a location at the Raddisson SAS Royal Hotel.
Driving in Helsinki: parking and other tips
Driving in Helsinki isn’t any different than other European capitals. Rush hour should be avoided and unless you’re staying out after public transportation stops, you won’t likely need your rental car to get around the city centre.
Parking in Helsinki is quite strictly enforced. Metered parking costs between €0.50 and €1 per hour. There are a handful of free long and short-term car parks around the city and you can pick up a free map of these from the city tourism office or from any big Helsinki hotel.
Road trips from Helsinki: what to do, what to see
Porvoo
The second oldest city in Finland is but a 40 minute drive from Helsinki. This small charming town is famous for its old, wooden houses. Porvoo has been around since the 13th century but most of its buildings date from the 19th century. The town’s old, cobbled streets and houses have remarkably stayed intact despite modernisation.
Hämeenlinna
Follow the motorway 3 E12 north for exactly 100 kilometres and you’ll find yourself in Hämeenlinna, a Finish city famous for its medieval castle. Häme Castle is now a museum and it’s worth taking a tour. Don’t miss Aulanko, a nature park with rare place species and a 19th century observation tower.
Kotka
Kotka is a pretty town that becomes very lively in the summertime as many Finns head to the seaside. The Maretarium Aquarium houses almost every Finnish fish species. While you’re there, don’t miss the Maritimes Centre Vellamo, an architectural masterpiece in the old port of Kotka.