Buy an ABC ticket, then take the next I or P train to Helsinki
How to choose Helsinki Airport’s I or P train, buy the right ABC ticket and continue from Helsinki Central to your neighborhood.
Both I and P commuter trains connect Helsinki Airport with Helsinki Central Railway Station. For the city centre, buy an ABC ticket and take whichever train to Helsinki leaves next. The trip takes about 30 minutes.
The essentials, checked on 30 October 2026:
- Ticket: HSL ABC
- Adult single: €4.50 in the HSL app; €4.80 with contactless payment
- Adult one-day ABC ticket: €12.80
- Airport station: directly beneath the terminal, reached by lift or escalator
- City terminus: Helsinki, shown as Helsinki/Helsingfors on signs
The airport is in zone C and Helsinki Central is in zone A, so the full journey requires an ABC ticket. The same ticket covers transfers to HSL trams, buses, the Metro and the Suomenlinna ferry while it remains valid (HSL airport train guide).
I or P: which train should you take?
For Helsinki Central, either train works. They run around opposite sides of the Ring Rail Line:
| From the airport | Route towards central Helsinki | Useful intermediate stops |
|---|---|---|
| P train | Airport–Tikkurila–Pasila–Helsinki | Tikkurila, Pasila |
| I train | Airport–Myyrmäki–Huopalahti–Pasila–Helsinki | Myyrmäki, Huopalahti, Pasila |
The practical rule is to check the platform display and take the next I or P train towards Helsinki. Waiting for one particular letter will rarely save time. Use the HSL app or Journey Planner for the departure on your travel date, especially late at night or during engineering work. HSL’s commuter-train map shows the stations served by each line.
Do not travel to Central only to double back:
- For Pasila, get off there; both airport trains stop at Pasila.
- For Tikkurila, take the P train from the airport. Tikkurila is also an interchange for long-distance trains.
- For Myyrmäki or Huopalahti, take the I train.
Only commuter trains serve the airport station directly. For a long-distance train, Finavia advises changing at Tikkurila, Pasila or Helsinki Central (Finavia’s long-distance ticket guidance).
The correct ticket is ABC, not AB
HSL zones extend outward from central Helsinki. The airport is in C and the centre is in A, so your ticket must cover A, B and C. An AB ticket is not enough, even if your hotel is in central Helsinki. HSL requires a ticket covering all the zones through which you travel (HSL zones).
Current fares are:
| ABC ticket | Adult | Child aged 7–17 |
|---|---|---|
| Single ticket in the HSL app | €4.50 | €2.25 |
| Adult single by contactless payment | €4.80 | — |
| One-day ticket | €12.80 | €6.40 |
These prices have applied since 2 June 2026 and are listed as valid until further notice in HSL’s official 2026 fare sheet.
An ABC single bought in the app or by contactless payment is valid for 90 minutes. A machine-issued single is valid for 10 minutes longer. You can transfer while the ticket is valid and finish the final leg after expiry, provided you boarded that service before the ticket expired (HSL validity rules).
App, contactless or ticket machine?
HSL app: lowest adult single fare
An adult ABC single costs €4.50 in the app. The ticket starts immediately unless you choose a later start time, and it must be visible in the app before you board the train. The app also provides route, timetable and disruption information (HSL app).
Choose the app if you want the lowest adult single fare or need a child ticket.
Contactless: no app required
At an HSL card reader, select ABC, then tap a Visa or Mastercard, phone or watch. The card or device used becomes the ticket, so present that same payment method if an inspector asks. An adult ABC ticket costs €4.80 (HSL contactless guidance).
HSL is introducing a contactless fare cap on 2 November 2026. From that date, adult singles bought within 24 hours with the same payment method will cost no more than the relevant day ticket (HSL single tickets). A physical card and the same card in a mobile wallet can be treated as different payment methods, so keep using the same one.
Ticket machine or airport shop: useful without a working phone
HSL ticket machines are in the airport station area. HSL’s June 2026 fare sheet and its online fare table differ on machine-ticket pricing, so check the amount displayed before paying. Finavia also lists the R-kioski in the arrivals hall and the airport Alepa as ticket sellers (Finavia ticket information). Select ABC, not AB.
A machine-issued single is valid from purchase, so buy it after collecting your luggage rather than before a long wait in the terminal. Tickets bought at sales points may use separate activation instructions; follow the instructions on the ticket.
The railway station is directly below the terminal, with lifts and escalators from both arrivals and departures (HSL airport train guide).
Single ticket or ABC day ticket?
For a simple airport arrival, a single is usually enough.
- Airport to hotel only: one ABC single.
- Airport plus two central-Helsinki rides: one €4.50 ABC app single plus two €3.30 AB app singles totals €11.10, below the €12.80 day-ticket price.
- Airport plus at least three AB rides within 24 hours: an ABC day ticket can be cheaper than separate app singles.
- Airport return within 24 hours, with no other trips: two ABC app singles total €9, less than a day ticket.
An ABC day ticket allows unlimited HSL travel in zones A, B and C for 24 hours, including trams, the Metro and the HSL ferry to Suomenlinna. One-day tickets are sold in the app, at sales points and at some machines (HSL day-ticket prices). From 2 November 2026, the contactless cap may make buying separate adult contactless singles simpler than deciding in advance, provided every ticket is bought with the same payment method.
Arriving at Helsinki Central
Both trains terminate at Helsinki Central Railway Station. The station map is more useful than treating “city centre” as a single destination:
- Head towards Kaivokatu for Keskuskatu, Stockmann and the Esplanadi direction.
- Head east towards Rautatientori for Ateneum, Kluuvi and the University of Helsinki direction.
- Head west towards Elielinaukio for Kiasma, Oodi, Töölönlahti and onward buses.
HSL’s Central Railway Station map marks nearby tram and bus stops, the Metro entrance and walking directions. If your ABC ticket remains valid, you do not need another fare for an onward HSL connection.
For accommodation near Pasila station, leave the train at Pasila. For Katajanokka, Hakaniemi, Ruoholahti or another district beyond a comfortable walk from Central, enter the exact address in the HSL Journey Planner before leaving the airport. It may recommend a transfer rather than taking the train to the terminus.
Avoid these ticket mistakes
- Buying AB instead of ABC. The airport trip crosses zones C, B and A.
- Activating an app ticket after boarding. It must be on your phone before you enter the train. HSL can charge a €100 penalty plus the single fare for travel without a valid ticket (HSL tickets and fares).
- Waiting automatically for one train letter. Both I and P reach Pasila and Helsinki Central.
- Buying an AB day ticket for an airport day. It does not cover zone C; choose ABC.
- Relying on a fixed last-train time. Check the HSL app or Journey Planner for the date and time you will travel.