The new high-speed rail service linking Helsinki with St. Petersburg, just launched last December, has been an immediate success, with passenger numbers in the first four months of 2011 up over a third on the same period in 2010. With the journey time slashed to 3 hours 36 minutes, it is no surprise that cross-border » Read more

March is the month when many Europeans crawl out from their winter shells and start exploring. And with spring beckoning, we have come up with a handful of easy daytime rail journeys that just clamor to be taken. There is something seductive about climbing onto a comfortable train just after breakfast, knowing that all you » Read more

Not sure how it happened, but somehow we missed the Tango Festival in Oulu last week. Yes, we know what you are thinking. You never knew they are quite so keen on colgadas and volcadas up there in the frozen north. All those carousels must be decidedly tricky on icy ground. If you associate the » Read more

Last week we gave a rail service update for Britain, focusing on some of the new train services that started with the schedule changes that came into effect last Sunday, December 12. Now we’ll take a look at how the 2011 schedules look for continental Europe. Discontinued services First the bad news. A number of » Read more

Things are warming up in Helsinki (the high temperature for today, June 14, 2010, is a relatively toasty 68 °F). As summer comes to the Finnish capital, there are plenty of reasons to be outside. Where to go, you ask? Well, read on, because we’ve got you covered with some Cheapo-friendly ways to soak up » Read more

Located way up north (though at the southern edge of Finland), Helsinki is understandably chilly come wintertime. The low temperatures only add to the fun, however, as they give visitors the opportunity to partake in some quintessentially Finnish cold-weather activities. Read on for three ideas! Ice skating at Railway Square The Ice Park right outside » Read more

To be perfectly frank, Helsinki doesn’t offer much in the way of exciting, inexpensive eats. Sure, if you’re willing to shill out for Michelin-rated Scandinavian cuisine and seafood, you’ll find no shortage of gourmet options. For those of us on a budget, however, choices are limited to kebab and pizza joints, as well as “grillis,” » Read more

We’re proud to announce the Finn-tastic launch this week of EuroCheapo Helsinki, our 29th city guide! The new guide to cheap hotels in Helsinki takes us into exciting new territory, farther north and east than any of our other guides. Sarah Silbert, a contributing editor who covered the city following her update of Copenhagen, was initially surprised by the high rates of hotels » Read more

Helsinki, Finland, is home to high design, price tags to match, and lots of heavy metal fans. The city’s atmosphere combines the obvious Swedish and Russian influences yet also feels, with its gray mid-century apartment blocks, cafés, and Jugendstil beauties, somewhat reminiscent of Mitteleuropa. How to keep costs manageable in such a pricey Nordic capital? » Read more