Getting around Helsinki

Trams

The residents of Helsinki are justly proud of their green-and-yellow trams, which clutter their way through the city centre at a leisurely pace. You can purchase a single tram ticket from the driver, the ticket costs 2 euros. Tram no. 3T, with its popular "tourist route", gives you a glimpse of the best-known city land­marks, offering a sightseeing tour for the price of a tram ticket.

Buses

Helsinki is the hub of an extensive local bus network which ex­tends out in all directions. The metro is most useful for travel­ling east. Helsinki City Transport buses are easily identified by their blue livery. The Helsinki Card and tickets issued by Helsinki City Transport are valid on all routes within the Helsinki area. You can buy a ticket from the driver and it is valid for one hour. A route map for the local buses is available from the tourist office and from the Helsinki City Transport offices.

Metro

A modern, immaculately clean metro runs from Ruoholahti in the south-west to Mellunmaki and Vuosaari in the north-east of Hel­sinki. The network remains modest, but has its points. For exam­ple, you can take the metro to one of the largest shopping cen­tres in Scandinavia, Itakeskus. Uniquely, the metro will also drop you off at the gates of the Rastila camping site maintained by the city of Helsinki. The last train leaves the centre at 11.20 p.m.

Trains

The red-coloured local trains all depart from Helsinki cen­tral railway station. There are three main lines: Riihimaki via Tikkurila (Tampere line), Kirkkonummi via Espoo (Turku line) and Vantaankoski via Myyrmaki. There are both fast trains and local trains that call at every station on the way. The Helsinki Card and tickets issued by Helsinki City Transport are valid within the Helsinki area. If you wish to travel further, you can buy a re­gional ticket for EUR 3.80. Tickets are also sold on board by the conductor, who usually travels in the rear carriages.

Taxis

Finnish taxis are luxury cars. The price is never cheap, but it does buy you a comfortable ride in a Mercedes or equivalent! There are plenty of taxis on offer during quiet times, but long queues can build late at night. All Helsinki's taxis are metered, with fixed rates. As far as we know, no unlicensed "pirate" taxies operate in Helsinki. If you require a taxi, phone [phone], it is a local taxi service.

Ex. 1. Answer the questions:

1. How much does the tram ticket cost?

2. Where can a tourist get a route map for the local buses?

3. When does the last train leave the centre?

4. What is a re­gional ticket?

5. What is the phone number of a local taxi service?

Ex. 2. Remember the following words and word combinations:

residents; to purchase a single tram ticket from the driver; a popular "tourist route"; a sightseeing tour; valid; local buses; tourist office; to take the metro; the last train leaves the centre at; cen­tral railway station; fast trains and local trains; tickets issued by; re­gional ticket; to sell on board by the conductor; fixed rates; unlicensed "pirate" taxies; to require a taxi; a local taxi service.

Ex. 3. Make-up sentences using the following words. The first word is underlined.

1. You, ticket, driver, can, the, a, buy, from.

2. price, never, is, The, cheap.

3. cars, luxury, taxis, are, Finnish.

4. The, for, useful, metro, travelling, most, east, is.

5. green-and-yellow, proud, The, trams, of, residents, Helsinki, are, their, of.

Дата добавления: 2015-12-01