Basic Finnish for tourists and travelers: Difference between revisions

→‎At the airport / port / terminal: reorg + added some essential apps
(expanding on the public transport ticket choice quesiton)
(→‎At the airport / port / terminal: reorg + added some essential apps)
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== At the airport / port / terminal ==
== At the airport / port / terminal ==


While you are at the airport, port or train station we could interest you in purchasing a prepaid sim card ('''prepaid simkortti''') from [https://www.r-kioski.fi/ R-kioski]. You will be going to the R-kioski anyways to get a (multi)day public transport pass ('''matkakortti''') for the public transport system as the single tickets are expensive and inconvenient for the traveler as they are valid for only 69 minutes (Helsinki internal) and 80 minutes (Helsinki-region).  
'''Get communications'''
 
If you have a postpaid sim card from an EU country then roaming is not prohibitively expensive or even included in your package, but if you don't have a postpaid sim from EU then while you are at the airport, port or train station we could interest you in purchasing a prepaid sim card ('''prepaid simkortti''') from [https://www.r-kioski.fi/ R-kioski]. These are really inexpensive with 24 hr unlimited 4G, unlimited calls and SMS going for under 1€ / day.


Just talk English as "everyone" talks English here but feel free to use 'kiitos' and everyone will be impressed how well versed you are in Finnish as a foreigner.  
Just talk English as "everyone" talks English here but feel free to use 'kiitos' and everyone will be impressed how well versed you are in Finnish as a foreigner.  


Finland used to have a unified pricing system for taxis, but this was reformed in 2018 and that has lead to widely varying prices as the companies have different price setting models. A good thing that the reformation brought is that how you can ask for the price for your trip in advance.
'''Public transport'''
 
Use '''[https://www.hsl.fi/en/tickets-and-fares Ticket types and fares of the Metropolitan Helsinki area (in English)]''' to figure out the best choice of public transport ticket for yourself. Available types are
# single ticket
# day and multi-day passes (1-7 days) and  
# long duration pass (14-365 or more days).
The longer period you purchase the lower the per time unit price gets.
 
Download the '''HSL App''' (HSL == Helsinki Region Transport Authority) for [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=fi.hsl.app Android] or [https://itunes.apple.com/fi/app/apple-store/id1340229182 iOS].
 
At an R-kioski you can purchase single tickets, or much better: Get a (multi)day public transport pass ('''matkakortti''') for the public transport system as the single tickets are expensive and inconvenient for the traveler as they are valid for only 69 minutes (Helsinki internal) and 80 minutes (Helsinki-region).  


Lets get your luggage to the hotel and you to enjoy the Finland.
Lets get your luggage to the hotel and you to enjoy the Finland.
* Use [https://www.hsl.fi/en/tickets-and-fares Ticket types and fares of the Metropolitan Helsinki area (in English)] to figure out the best choice of public transport ticket for yourself. Available types are single ticket, day and multi-day passes (1-7 days) and long duration pass (14-365 or more days). The longer period you purchase the lower the per time unit price gets.
* [https://www.reittiopas.fi/ Helsinki-region traveler router] will whisk you where you need to go.
* [https://www.reittiopas.fi/ Helsinki-region traveler router] will whisk you where you need to go.
'''Taxis'''
Finland used to have a unified pricing system for taxis, but this was reformed in 2018 and that has lead to widely varying prices as the companies have different price setting models. A good thing that the reformation brought is that how you can ask for the price for your trip in advance.


== Choosing a sauna ==
== Choosing a sauna ==