Guidebook Updates for ‘Rick Steves Snapshot: St. Petersburg, Helsinki & Tallinn’

For books printed before July 2024, the following may apply:

• Helsinki's tourist information office has moved to a new location on Senate Square (Mon–Fri 9:30–17:00, Sat–Sun 10:00–16:00, shorter weekend hours off-season, Aleksanterinkatu 24 — at the corner with Sofiankatu street, +358 9 3101 3300). All other tourism office locations, including at the airport, have closed.
• By late 2024, tickets for trams and buses will only be available via contactless payment, not cash. (Helsinki is now essentially cash-less across the board.)
• The National Museum of Finland is closed for renovations, likely until spring 2027.
• Uber now operates in Helsinki and is generally a better option than taxis, as their cars are cheaper and more plentiful than taxis.
• The Mannerheim Museum is closed for renovations throughout 2024.
• The Lutheran Cathedral, previously free, now charges €8 in summer (June–Aug).
• In summer Kamppi Chapel also now charges visitors (€5).
• Finlandia Hall is closed for renovations until late 2024.
• Kulttuurisauna now requires advance reservations.
• Stromma's Helsinki Panorama bus tour now only runs in winter. City Sightseeing's 1.5-hour hop-on, hop-off bus tour is the only bus tour running in summer.

For books printed before July 2021, the following may also apply:

• Because of route changes, the Helsinki Tram Tour, which features a loop through Helsinki on public trams #2 and #3, now requires a transfer at the Auroran Sairaala stop (which is several stops past the original transfer point of Töölön halli).
• Hotel Torni, home to the Ateljée Bar, with excellent city views, has reopened.
• Academica Summer Hostel has closed.
• Linda Line has ceased ferry service between Helsinki and Tallinn.

• At the risk of stating the obvious, we strongly recommend against visiting Russia any time in the foreseeable future, as does the US State Department.

For books printed before July 2024, the following may apply:

• Both the Vabamu Museum of Occupations and Freedom and the Museum of Estonian History are now closed on Mondays (year-round).

For books printed before July 2021, the following may also apply:

• Tickets for Tallinn's public transportation are now available as QR tickets for use on a mobile phone (€1.50 for any ride up to 1 hour, can purchase up to 10 rides per ticket, shareable with other riders, purchase at tallinn.pilet.ee or with the mobile app Pilet.ee). For travelers staying longer, the Ühiskaart smartcard can be purchased for €2, then loaded up with credit (€1.50 per ride, €4.50/24 hours, €7.50/72 hours).
• Linda Line has ceased ferry service between Helsinki and Tallinn.
• The Museum of Occupations is now the Vabamu Museum of Occupations and Freedom. The museum has been upgraded and expanded to include a new permanent exhibit exploring Estonia's occupations, resistance, and rise to freedom. The former audioguide has been replaced with an "etour guide" mobile device that brings the displays to life.
• The KGB Prison Cells in Tallinn's former KGB headquarters are now open to the public, with a small exhibit presented, in part, in English.
• Baltic Hotel Imperial has closed.
• Rixwell Old Town Hotel is now, as part of the Rija chain, Rija Old Town Hotel.
• Recommended restaurants Grillhaus Daub and Wadabus have closed.