BatMUD 35th Anniversary Travel Guide

BatMUD Gala 35

Arrival in Finland

You will most likely arrive at Helsinki Airport (Helsinki-Vantaa Airport in Finnish). Helsinki city center is about 20 km (about 12 miles) from the airport, and there are several options to get there. If you are unsure, ask the locals for help. See the options below:

The public transport system, operated by HSL (Helsinki Region Transport), is reliable and easy to use. Tickets can be bought from ticket machines, R-Kioski shops, or the HSL mobile app. Generally speaking, you buy a ticket from HSL and then you are free to use local trains/subways, buses and trams before your ticket expires. HSL also sells day tickets (24 hours or longer). You don't need to show the ticket when boarding, but you must have a valid ticket when you enter a vehicle. HSL personnel make random checks to see if people are travelling with a valid ticket and issue 80€ penalty fee, if you don't have a proper ticket. See more here for ticket validity: Ticket Validity and Interchanging

Cultural Tips

Tipping is not required (for more, read this guide but ignore the part about Nightclub lines).

Public drinking is regulated, and alcohol is sold in state-run stores if it's over 8% (16 proof) (Alko). Alko stores are the only place to buy wine and strong alcoholic beverages, and they usually close by 9 PM. While local stores/kiosks sell alcoholic beverages, they are not permitted to sell alcohol between 9 PM (21:00) and 9 AM (9:00). Legal age to drink in Finland is 18 for beer and cider, and 20 for spirits (if buying from Alko, although 18 is enough to drink anything in bars). Alcohol is relatively expensive due to taxation.

Mobile operators like DNA, Elisa and Telia offer prepaid SIM cards, which you can buy at R-kioski and many supermarkets — a good choice if you need local data.

The weather in June can vary — be prepared for both sun and rain. Should you be invited to someone's home, it is good manners to remove your shoes. In restaurants or in the gala, we of course wear shoes. Also, all prices in Finland include taxes and are always displayed as total prices — what you see is what you pay. Should you rent a car, you need to be 18 years old and have a valid driving license.

You don't need to haul loads of water from the store, because it is safe (and even recommended) to drink tap water in Finland practically wherever you are. Read more from pages of Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare.

Safety

Generally speaking, Finland is a safe country and hopefully you won't encounter anything bad here. However, recently Helsinki Police Department has issued a warning of increased number of pickpockets in the region, so when in crowds, use normal caution - avoid putting valuables in your backpack, or backpocket where thieves can easily get it. If you need to call the police, ambulance or the fire department, the emergency phone number is 112 (equivalent of 911 in the US). In Finland you don't need to be scared of the police. If you become a victim of a crime, contact the police. If you'd happen to commit a crime (which we do not recommend), don't try to bribe anybody as that will get you into bigger trouble. If you arrive from the European Union and you get sick, see this: European Health Insurance Card

Places to Visit in Helsinki

Events During Gala Week

Shops

There are practically three bigger grocery chains if you need to purchase food. These are the S-chain (green S logo, or text Alepa), K-chain (Orange K logo) and Lidl. From here you can get groceries etc. Some places sell ready-made baguettes if you need to pick a snack or anything. Some shops may have camera-supervised self-service counters where you may scan your groceries and pay with a card. Usually you need to scan the receipt for the gate to open before you can leave. When paying in the store, the payment terminals sometimes require your PIN number, so make sure to check what it is if you are unsure.

Note: If you need to obey a special diet, in S-chain the price tags are color-coded with letters V, L and G. The letters stand for (V)egan, (L)actose-free and (G)luten free. In K-chain you may see something similar, so see the price tag. If you buy soda/beer cans/bottles etc, the price includes a deposit. You get your deposit back when you return the bottles/cans to the machine at the store, usually located near the entrance of the store. Click the word "Kuitti" to receive a receipt for your returned bottles. You can then hand it to the cashier at the store to be deducted from the store bill (you can also get it in cash, but then you usually get random coins, which might not be so convenient for you).

What to Bring

Weather can shift quickly. Bring layers, a light rain jacket, and comfortable shoes. A power adapter (Finland uses Type F plugs, 230V), and optionally a local SIM card (those can be purchased at R-kioski for instance). In Finland, paying with a debit/credit card is more common than using cash these days, but cash is accepted also. The official currency in Finland is euro (€), nothing else will be accepted. If your card is Visa, it should work everywhere. Other accepted cards such as Mastercard or American Express etc. probably work in most places too, but it's sensible to ask or carry some cash with you otherwise. Prices in Finland always include VAT and other taxes, so what you see is the final price — no hidden fees.

Language Tips

Finnish people usually speak English well, especially in urban areas. However, here are a few useful words and phrases in Finnish that may come in handy:

Note: The Finnish alphabet includes the letters ä (pronounced like "a" in "cat") and ö (pronounced like "i" in "bird" or "u" in "fur"). See the link how to pronounce "y" by checking the link next to "Kyllä".