Search Flights from Birmingham to Helsinki

The city of Birmingham is located in West Midlands, England, at the basin of the Severn and Trent rivers. It is the one of the biggest cities in the country and the second most populated city in the country, after London. Those who want to travel to Birmingham fly into Birmingham Airport. The city contains five main areas that are intertwined. The first zone covers the area known as New Street, which is the innermost part of the city and considered the city center.

When it comes to urban transportation most of the city is accessible by bicycle or on foot. Network West Midlands is the executive body responsible for the public transportation network in the city. This institution encourages citizens and visitors to use bicycles to get around in the city. Buses provide transportation to most parts of Birmingham as well. Many of these bus lines are run by National Express West Midlands. There are also Diamond Buses that operate throughout the city. If you are planning on riding multiple buses throughout the day we would recommend buying a day ticket, also referred to as a daysaver, because it is more economical than buying a single trip ticket.

Single fare or daysaver tickets for National Express West Midlands buses can be purchased on board from the driver but you must have the exact fare, the driver cannot give you change. Therefore we recommend that you have the exact fare ready before getting on the bus. You can also purchase different ticket options with longer validity from the Pavilion Shopping Centre, which is located in close proximity to the Moor Street Station.

There are many public transportation alternatives in the city that provide transportation to the airport. Most of these options provide transportation to the airport from the city center or from the main train station. Birmingham Airport is located about 10 km from the city center.

Train

The airport is accessible by train via the Birmingham International Station. The Air-Rail Link connects the Birmingham International Station with Birmingham Airport. The train from New Street Station to Birmingham International Station can take between 10 and 20 minutes. Trains on this route run every 5 to 10 minutes. These trains operate from 6:15 am to 11:15 pm. Trains are usually more expensive when compared to buses. The rail service is provided by London Midland and it has an extensive network throughout Birmingham. You can find maps detailing the train routes in tourist information offices located in various parts of the city.

The fare for the train can vary depending on the region you will be traveling to. There are 3 main train stations in Birmingham. New Street Station is considered the main station and is located in the city center. There are four different train lines that run throughout the city. The yellow line runs between Wolverhampton and Northampton, the green line runs between Hereford, Stratford-upon-Avon and Leamington Spa, the red line runs between Redditch and Lichfield Trent Valley, and the blue line runs between Rugeley Trent Valley and Walsall.

There are also longer lines that provide transportation to neighboring cities. The majority of the train lines intersect at certain points so passengers can easily transfer between lines. The Air-Rail Link is a people mover that provides transportation between Birmingham International Station and Birmingham Airport.

The Air-Rail Link operates from 5:15 am to 2 am and runs every 2 minutes. The Air-Rail Link takes no more than 2 minutes to get to the airport. 

Bus

One of the buses that operates between the city center and the airport is bus number 900. This bus runs every 15 minutes during the day and every 30 minutes at night and on Sundays. Another bus that provides transportation between the city center and the airport is bus number 97. This bus departs from the same location as bus number 900 but it goes along a longer route.

One advantage that bus number 97 has is that it operates 24 hours a day. Bus 97 runs every hour on the hour. Bus number 966 provides transportation to the airport from Solihull and Erdington. This bus runs every 30 minutes during the day and every hour, on the hour, at nights and on Sundays.

There is no central bus station in the city, instead buses depart from various parts of the city. The majority of the buses pass through Bull Street, Colmore Row, Moor Street, and Priory Queensway. Buses generally operate from 5 am to midnight.

There are two routes that buses follow, the Inner Circle, which runs through the city center and the Outer Circle, which avoids entering the city center and runs along the outskirts of the city center.    

There are also bus services that provide transportation between the suburbs, hospitals, and shopping centers. However these services run less frequently at night and on Sundays.

There are also coach services that operate throughout the city and to the airport. These services depart from Birmingham’s Digbeth Coach Station and the fare is approximately the same as city buses. These coach services also operate at night.

Tram

The tram line in the city is known as the Midland Metro. So the word ‘metro’ is used to describe the light rail/tram line in Birmingham. However, the airport is not accessible by tram.

There is only one tram line that operates throughout the city. This line operates between Snow Hill Station, Wolverhampton, Jewellery Quarter, West Bornwich, Wednesbury and Bilston. The tram operates from 6:30 am to 11:30 pm on weekdays and on Saturdays. On Sundays the tram operates from 8 am to 11 pm.

Taxi

There are many taxi stops located throughout the city but the easiest place to find a cab is in the city center. However keep in mind that it can be hard to find an empty taxi during peak hours or on Saturdays. Taxi fares in Birmingham are quite high.

Ferry

Ferry boats in the Gas Street Basin offer public transportation services and sightseeing tours for tourists. However the airport is not accessible by ferry.

Rental Car

There are various rental car offices located throughout the city and Birmingham Airport works with seven different international car rental companies. Alternatively, you can book your vehicle in advance before your flight by making a reservation with one of these companies online.

Airport Information

Birmingham Airport has a passenger terminal that contains various services you can enjoy while waiting for your flight. Passengers can go shopping at well-known stores such as Accessorize, Hugo Boss, Victoria’s Secret, and JD Sports or buy luxurious products at affordable prices at the World Duty Free shop.

Cafes and restaurants located in the terminal include Deli Hub, which offers delicious dishes from Indian cuisine, Frankie & Benny’s, where you can enjoy classic American dishes, Pret a Manger, where you can find homemade, natural meals, Giraffe, which serves a variety of international cuisine, and Wetherspoon, which reflects traditional British culture.

There is a Burger King for those who prefer fast food, those who want luxurious restaurants and bars can head to All Bar One or Blanc et Noir, and those who want to spend time at a café can go to Caffé Nero and Costa. 

Helsinki, which is located in the Uusimaa region in the southern part of Finland, is the capital and most populous city of Finland. Situated on the shores of the Gulf of Finland within the Baltic Sea, Helsinki is among the leading European cities in terms of culture, finance, and science.

Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, which is located in the neighboring city Vantaa that is the border of the north and east of the city, welcomes the passengers traveling to Helsinki, Finnish and Swedish are spoken. The indented peninsula, which is in the southern part of the city, is also known as the city center. The central stations of all means of public transportation are located in the city center. Senata Square on the west coast of the city center constitutes the historical part of the city. There is a tourist information office near the Market Square which is in the south of Senata Square. You can ask every kind of question about transportation as well as you can buy tickets for various tours and museums at this office.

Metro, tramway, train, and bus are the most preferred means of public transportation. In addition, minibuses and ferryboats are also available for transportation between the coastal regions. The large overpass called Baana connects the Western Harbour area with Kamppi and Töölö Bay areas. This overpass facilitates transportation for pedestrians and bike riders. Public transportation in Helsinki is organized by the company named HSL (Helsinki Regional Transport), just like in the cities of Espoo, Vantaa and Kauniainen. You can buy tickets from ticket booths, from the drivers or by mobile phone to take advantage of public transportation. If you buy the ticket from the driver, the ticket costs a little more. You need to buy a different ticket to take a tramway; the price of the tramway tickets is more affordable than the tickets of other transportation option. These tickets are valid for one hour. If you are going to travel to the cities Espoo, Vantaa or Kauniainen, you need to buy an interregional ticket. These tickets are valid for eighty minutes.

If you are going to use public transport very often during the day, daily tickets will be more practical for you. The children under the age of seven can travel free of charge, while those who are under the age of sixteen can travel by paying half price of the tickets. Transportation options are very limited after midnight in Helsinki. Bus services are available until 2 am, while other public transportation vehicles generally depart for the last time before midnight. On weekends and official holidays, the buses departing from Elielinaukio and Rautatientori area near the railway station are available after 2 am; however, ticket prices cost twice as high as the standard price. Although ticket controls are very rare on public transport in Helsinki, ticket controllers get on the vehicles at certain intervals and ask for tickets. If you haven't got a ticket during ticket control, you have to pay a high amount of penalty.

There are various transportation options to reach the city from the airport. You can benefit from public transportation options such as train, private shuttle services or bus to reach the city center, where you can transfer and travel to different parts of the city, or you can get to anywhere you want in a shorter time by taking the advantage of taxi or car rental options.

Kutsuplus (Minibus Shuttles)

The minibuses shuttles called Kutsuplus are private-public transportation minibuses, which have recently been in service. These on-demand shuttles are the minibuses that depart by bringing together the passengers going to the same destination. The minibus shuttles that run on online reservation pick up its passengers at certain stops and drop them off at the places where they exactly would like to arrive. The cost of this journey depends on your destination and you have the opportunity to pay the price during booking by credit card. Kutsuplus option is much more affordable compared to taking a taxi.

Taxi

Although taking a taxi is more costly compared to public transportation options, it is a quite practical transportation option. You can get a taxi from the taxi stands at the airport, as well as you can book a taxi in advance by making an online reservation. VIP taxi service is also available if you prefer a more luxurious travel. Taxi minibuses called yellow lines can take up to 8 passengers. The minibus taxis don’t follow a specific route. All the passengers taken from the airport are dropped off in turn. The price of this service may vary depending on the number of passengers. If you want to take the advantage of this service, you can contact the yellow stands at the incoming passenger side of the airport.

Train

A new railway line connecting the airport to the central railway station has been in service as of 2015. Journey by train takes about half an hour and the trains usually depart every 10 minutes. You need to buy a ticket by means of the ticket booths on the platform at the airport. The train is not very close to the airport for now. For this reason, you will have to get on the shuttle services running between the airport and the railway station to board the train until the construction of the last (airport) station is completed. You can arrive at the station in a few minutes thanks to the shuttle services.

Helsinki Central Railway Station is the central station of all trains and it is very close to the city center. The train lines Y, S, U, L, E, A, M, I, K, N, T, H, and R are the lines for urban transportation and these lines move in three different directions to the north of the central station. If you are going to travel to the neighboring cities like Espoo, Vantaa or Kaunianinen, it would be useful to remember that you need to buy an interregional ticket.

Bus

The intercity bus 615 departs every 30 minutes and takes you from the airport to the Helsinki Central Railway Station in about 30-40 minutes. You need to buy an interregional ticket to take the advantage of this bus line because the airport is within the borders of Vantaa. Once you arrive at the central railway station, you can benefit from transfer option by bus, tramway or metro lines that go to many parts of the city. Your ticket will still be valid for transfer since journey time doesn’t exceed one hour.

In addition, the Finnair City Bus is another alternative to reach the city center from the airport. This bus line departs every 15 minutes and goes to the central railway station from the airport in about half an hour. The bus ticket for this bus costs a bit more compared to the bus number 615 and doesn’t include transfer option. However, this bus line provides you with a more comfortable journey as well as it offers free Wi-Fi service during your journey.

If you are planning to go to the resorts in Espoo, the U-line bus, which provides inter-regional transportation service, depart from the airport to Leppävaara, Nihtisilta and Espoonkeskus regions. Transportation is mainly provided by tramway lines in the city center, while buses are much more preferred for transportation in other urban areas.

The buses departing from the bus terminal on Eliel Square near the central railway station move to the north side of the city and the buses departing from the terminal on Railway Square go to the east, while the buses going to the west depart from the underground bus terminal at the Kamppi Center, which is connected to the Kamppi subway station.

Tramway

Taking a tramway is a convenient option for touristic transportation. The tramway lines mostly provide transportation in the southern peninsula, which is the central part of the city, yet the extension of tramway network still continues. There are nine tram lines that provide transportation service throughout the southern peninsula in Helsinki. Taking a tram from the airport is not possible for now; however, if you get to the central railway station from the airport, you can go on your journey throughout the peninsula by tramway transfer.

Metro

Subway network of Helsinki provides transportation service on a much shorter route compared to other major European cities. Metro provides eastbound transportation from the city center in the south. The journey from Ruoholahti station to Mellunmäki or Vusaari stations takes a little more than twenty minutes. The westward extension of the metro network towards Espoo is currently under construction.

Rent a car

You can rent a car from the car rental offices in the terminal building once your plane lands at the airport. However, traveling in Helsinki by car is not a very practical option. Parking fees are quite high and it is very difficult to find a convenient parking space in the city; parking lots are charged at hourly intervals. However, if you are going to travel on weekends, you can prefer to rent a car since parking is free of charge at the weekend. You can also rent a limousine as a more luxurious option.