Helsinki Central Railway Station, Helsinki

Helsinki Central Railway Station, Helsinki (must see)

The Central Railway Station is one of the most visited and well-known sites in the city. There are over two hundred thousand passengers that pass through this place every day. On that basis, it is the single busiest building in the whole country.

The whole complex of rails in the country was started in 1860 when the first track was opened for business between Helsinki and Hameenlinna, a city 100 kilometer north of Helsinki. The first station here was designed by Carl Edelfelt. The station's popularity grew through the years, and so the location had to be renovated multiple times. The last such renovation was completed in 2003 when a shopping center was added to the complex.

One little known tidbit about this station is the Presidential Lounge. This private 50-square-meter waiting lounge is available for exclusive use of the President of Finland and his/her official guests. It was first built for the Emperor of Russia in 1911. After a short stint as a military hospital, it has been the private lounge for the President ever since. It is the only such structure known in the world.

Tip:
Underneath the station, there is a multitude of shops, including supermarkets, and also a walkway over to the other side of Kaivokatu street, which gets you into downtown.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Helsinki. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from iTunes App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Helsinki Central Railway Station on Map

Sight Name: Helsinki Central Railway Station
Sight Location: Helsinki, Finland (See walking tours in Helsinki)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Helsinki, Finland

Create Your Own Walk in Helsinki

Create Your Own Walk in Helsinki

Creating your own self-guided walk in Helsinki is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Helsinki's Architectural Jewels

Helsinki's Architectural Jewels

Typified by Nordic minimalism and refinement, the architecture of Helsinki is shaped primarily by the early Neo-Classical style and a regional form of Art Nouveau, called Jugendstil. Still, it is the later work by modernist architect Alvar Aalto, as well as the thriving contemporary designs deeply rooted in nature and local craft, that give Helsinki, as well Finland in general, their current...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.9 Km or 1.2 Miles
Helsinki Introduction Walking Tour

Helsinki Introduction Walking Tour

Helsinki was created as a trading town by Swedish King Gustav I in 1550, but it is believed that Swedish settlers had arrived here in the 1300s. Sometimes called the “Daughter of the Baltic,” Helsinki is a port town through and through. Its close connection to its Baltic neighbors, Sweden and Russia, has shaped its history for better and worse over the last 400 years. Both Finnish and Swedish...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles
Helsinki's Historical Churches

Helsinki's Historical Churches

Helsinki features many impressive places of worship where you can enjoy a peaceful moment and admire the beauty of the religious buildings. Helsinki has two main religious denominations: Lutheran and Orthodox, but there are also some beautiful Anglican and German churches. Take this self-guided walking tour to see the most interesting religious buildings in the city.

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
Seurasaari Island Walking Tour

Seurasaari Island Walking Tour

Seurasaari is an island in Helsinki and is best known as the home to the popular Seurasaari Open-Air Museum. The museum provides an overview of life in the Finnish countryside by showcasing old, mainly wooden houses built in different eras. Some of these houses – once lived in by famous people in the Finnish history – were transplanted to Seurasaari island to become the part of the museum.

...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
Finnish Souvenir Shopping Tour

Finnish Souvenir Shopping Tour

It would be a pity to leave Helsinki without having explored its specialty shops and bringing home something truly original. We've compiled a list of gifts and souvenirs, all unique to Finland, that a visitor might like to purchase to reflect their visit.

The souvenirs include Sauna Bucket & Ladle, Finnish traditional music instrument, ryija rug, Finnish vodka made from Arctic-grown...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.0 Km or 1.2 Miles

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