Practical info

Location

Aalto University Campus, (Espoo), Helsinki Area. If you search Dipoli it should find it, the address is Otakaari 24, 02150 Espoo.

Food

Reservations at restaurants in the campus area. These restaurants can generally cater to all common diets, including vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, and lactose free. There are also two grocery stores at the metro station (A entrance).

Map

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Tourist information and other activities

Wikivoyage Helsinki is usually pretty accurate and has information about the area and other sights to see.

Hotels

There are various hotels within easy walking distance. We don’t have any particular discounts. “Radison Blu Otaniemi” is the default location for university visitors. Other hotels in Helsinki downtown are fine also, the metro trip is 11 minutes (and costs ~3 euros).

Arrival

tldr: Aalto University is at the “Aalto University” metro stop. An “ABC” ticket manages the train from airport AND metro (and trams, busses, etc).

Air: Helsinki Airport. Between the airport and Aalto University, plan for max 1.5 hours (less than one hour is possible if you are efficient). From the airport, follow signs to the train station. Board a train and immediately use a contactless payment card to buy an ABC ticket at a card reader; this will get you all the way to the university (see public transport). Take the first train that comes (either way gets to downtown in about the same time). From the main station, walk to the connected metro station. Take a metro to the stop Aalto University (direction Tapiola or Kivenlahti), then continue in section “public transport” below.

Ferry: From Tallinn or Stockholm, there are ferries. Expect well under an hour to get from the ferry harbors to Aalto University. Take trams to the metro, but from each harbor walking to the metro is reasonable (not too far and nice walks). (Some attendees are also attending the Nordic e-infrastructure Conference in Tallinn on 27-29 May, they will be taking ferries from Tallinn the evening of 29 May. More info to be announced)

Bus, Train, etc. within Finland: You probably know how to get to the center of Helsinki. Follow public transit below.

Private vehicle: There isn’t free parking, but there are paid lots around.

Public transport: The public transport system is good and easy to use. The metro stop name is “Aalto University”, and the A exit is closer to us. Tickets can be bought at ticket machines, or via the “HSL App”. Aalto University is in the zone B, downtown is in the zone A, the airport in zone C, and tickets last a bit more than an hour and work on any public bus, train, metro, or tram (and as many transfers as you need). AB zone tickets cost about 3€.

If coming from airport: use single tickets, day tickets not worth it even with one extra trip to/from downtown.

Now, all tickets can be bought using contactless payment cards (details). Select the appropriate zones (AB or ABC) at the blue readers (before getting on the metro, after boarding bus/train/tram), then show your card. More info and ways to pay.