My guess is that your arrival is on BA 794 at 16.30. With only carry-ons you'll be able to catch bus 615 just outside the exit of T2 at 16.46. With checked luggage 17.01. Either way you'll be in time for Hilton Strands Happy Hour scheduled 18.00-20.00. Walking to the hotel from the bus stop is 4-5 min.

Link to interactive journey planner: http://www.reittiopas.fi/en/?showsea...s=3&gotoHash=#

Tickets can be bought on the bus or at a machine (CC OK) at the busstop. Single journey to the city is 5€. 24h unlimited travel in the region (needed for airport use) is 12€. Get a folder with bus, tram and metro maps at the info desk at the airport (next to the exit) or at the hotel. For very careful planning at home, download it here: https://www.hsl.fi/en/timetables-and...nd-tram-routes

Every tram, metro or bus hop a single ticket is 3€. Travelling more than one bus ride from the airport and two tram hops - profit , but more interesting - convenience of not having to pay everywhere, just hop on ! With careful planning, you might even use it for the airport return trip

There are lots of tips on what to see or do in the thread. Agreeing on most of them, but your time is somewhat limited. Two years ago I did a little day tour with a friend, staying at the Strand.

After breakfast we went to the opposite corner of Hakaniemi square to the market hall. A little walk to the tram stops of the square and down to Kauppatori open market where everything, and many things you can't get in UK, is sold. The small boats sell fresh and smoked fish.

From Kauppatori you have the Pohjoidesplanadi right up, strolling by shops and cafés and almost at the top is Stockmanns, THE department store of Helsinki. Lots of shops also on Aleksander street, parallell with the Esplanad. By the time we had done some shopping, we paid a visit to the top floor of Stockmanns, where there is a café, a restaurant and more important, a Champagne Bar, where we indulged for some time

A tram hop and a short walk to Temppeliaukio Church (Church of the Rock), which is well worth a visit for the extraordinary architecture and construction, even for visitors with little religious interest. In case you did not visit the evening mass in the orthodox Uspenskij Cathedral, you might be lucky if there is an organ recital in the Church of the Rock, with its impressive acoustics. Here is some more info: http://www.helsinginkirkot.fi/en/chu...-temppeliaukio

If not eating before, now is time for lunch

As it was summer we then headed for the Suomenlinna Fortress, as my friend has a solid interest in military history, and the ferry ride is enjoyable in this time of the year. A little warning here, postioning for the ferry takes some time, the ferry one way 20min and going out to the fortress you need more than an hour, if not two, to walk around. So this trip is 2˝ -3 hours, with your time schedule maybe a little expansive. Info here: http://www.suomenlinna.fi/en/visitor...visitor_centre

There is time for more shopping, or maybe art. The museum of very contempory art Kiasma, is very close to the railway station Info here (with links to Atheneum and Sinebrychoff art museums, also centrally located) : http://www.kiasma.fi/kiasma_en

I personally enjoy strolling around central Helsinki, just to admire the impressive architecture of many buildings in the city centre. The other must-see things are still there when you return, be it for TP, HEL or both.

Enjoy your stay in Helsinki !


Edit: From stepping into the 615 bus at Hakaniemi square, I hooked up my computer in the AY lounge exactly 40 min later