Helsinki-Vantaa Airport (HEL)

The single terminal and gate zones at Helsinki Airport

All departures, arrivals, check-in desks, self-service check-in kiosks and self-service bag drop machines at Helsinki Airport are housed under a single terminal roof. Because every gate sits inside the same building, departing and connecting passengers walk directly from gate to gate without taking shuttle buses between separate terminals.

Domestic and Schengen flights operate from gates 5 to 36, while non-Schengen and long-haul flights depart from gates 37 to 55 behind border control. Passengers holding biometric passports can use the automatic border control gates when crossing between the Schengen and non-Schengen areas. For passengers connecting onto a domestic flight in Finland, the customs office is opposite gate 29, and passengers arriving from Norway or Iceland can also complete customs declarations using telephones on the passenger bridges.

Airlines and check-in at Helsinki Airport (HEL)

All airlines operating at Helsinki Airport share the single departures hall, where passengers can use staffed check-in counters, self-service check-in kiosks to print boarding passes and baggage tags, and self-service bag drop machines.

Finavia notes that Finnair, Norwegian and TUI also offer an evening-before bag drop service at Helsinki Airport for early-morning departures, allowing one member of a family to check in hold luggage for the whole family if travelling together on the same booking and presenting everyone's travel documents and tickets.

Getting to and from Helsinki Airport

Helsinki Airport is located about 20 kilometres north of Helsinki city centre, with direct rail and bus links right at the terminal:

• Commuter trains I and P: the railway station is directly beneath the terminal, connected to the departures and arrivals halls by elevators and escalators. Trains I and P reach Helsinki Central Railway Station in about 30 minutes, with connections to VR long-distance trains across Finland at Tikkurila and Pasila. Tickets are sold in the HSL app and at platform ticket machines.
• HSL bus 600 and long-distance coaches: the bus station sits outside the arrivals hall on the ground level. HSL trunk bus line 600 runs to Helsinki city centre in about 40 minutes, alongside direct long-distance buses to Turku, Tampere and Lahti.

Four taxi lanes sit immediately outside the arrivals hall, where contract taxi operators FixuTaxi, Taksi Helsinki, Menevä Taxi and Lähitaksi serve passengers 24 hours a day. Pre-booked taxis meet passengers on the first floor of parking hall P2, and car rental desks are located in the arrivals hall opposite the parking information point.

Helsinki Airport with children

At Helsinki Airport security control, families travelling with children under 7 years old can use a dedicated lane marked 'Assisted', open from early morning until late night and shared with passengers who have reduced mobility or non-visible disabilities. Small children can walk through the metal detector gate with a parent or be carried through. After check-in, families who have checked their own pram into the hold can borrow an airport loaner pushchair for the walk to the gate.

At Helsinki Airport security, passengers may carry up to 2 litres of liquids in total in hand baggage when packed in individual containers of at most 100 ml each. Larger containers are permitted for baby food, breast milk and liquid medicines needed during the journey, which are taken out of hand baggage for screening. All airport restaurants and cafés warm baby food and bottles on request, and the terminal offers separate baby changing rooms, toilet changing stations, children's play areas and Wi-Fi without login.

What to check before you go to HEL

Check your airline's check-in opening hours before setting off, or use the evening-before bag drop if you are flying early in the morning with Finnair, Norwegian or TUI. Packing liquids in containers up to 100 ml within the 2-litre carry-on limit and placing baby food at the top of your cabin bag speeds up screening at the Assisted lane.

On arrival, follow the terminal signs down the escalators or elevators to the underground railway station for commuter trains I and P, or walk straight out of the arrivals hall for HSL bus 600 and the four official taxi lanes.

Plan your visit to Helsinki

• Helsinki travel guide

Sources

• Reference source — finavia.fi (checked 23 October 2026)
• Reference source — finavia.fi (checked 23 October 2026)
• Reference source — finavia.fi (checked 23 October 2026)
• Reference source — finavia.fi (checked 23 October 2026)