Option 1: Fly to Helsinki, then train to Jyväskylä
This is perhaps the most likely option how you end up reaching Jyväskylä. The instructions may sound more complicated than what the journey really is. From Helsinki to Jyväskylä by train it should take approximately 3.5 hours.
- Step 1: Arrive at Helsinki-Vantaa airport (HEL), the main international airport in Finland. Welcome to Finland :)
- Step 2: Navigate from your arrival gate to the Helsinki-Vantaa airport train station, follow the signs at the airport. You know you are close when an (almost) infinitely long escalator takes you deep inside the bedrock, yes, the HEL train station is underground.
- Step 3: Take a local train to Tikkurila train station (or Dickursby in Swedish). There are two train lines (P and I-train) going through the airport train station, both have a final destination in Helsinki city center, but the two travel to opposite directions. It is important that you board P-train to Tikkurila. P-train runs every 10-20 minutes, just hop in the first one that arrives. The train from the airport to Tikkurila takes about 8 minutes, and Tikkurila will be the third stop after the airport.
- Step 4: In Tikkurila board the long-distance train that takes you to Jyväskylä, likely via Tampere. Sometimes you have to change in Tampere from one train to another, check your ticket. The connection times in Tampere are short but the trains wait for one another in case one is delayed. For direct trains, it is good to know that the train changes its direction of travel in Tampere.
For train tickets and schedule, we recommend using the VR web page immediately after booking your flights. VR follows a dynamic pricing in their tickets, so you get them substantially cheaper when booking them well in advance. There are also vending machines on the platforms in airport and Tikkurila train stations, but some long-distance trains may be fully booked just a moment before departure.
- Search tickets and connections from "Helsinki Airport" to "Jyväskylä" in VR web page, follow the instructions there.
- These tickets should include the local HSL commuter P-train from the airport to Tikkurila. A specific time is printed on the P-train ticket, however, you may use any P-train within +/- 80 minutes to the departure of your long-distance train. (VR web page "The transfer time included in tickets forom long-distance traffic to commuter traffic is 80 min."). We recommend that you take the first possible P-train to Tikkurila, and wait your long-distance train there. Multiple dining and shopping options are available in Tikkurila.
- If it looks that you did not get a ticket to the local P-train, you perhaps bought a ticket form "Helsinki" or "Tikkurila" to Jyväskylä. No panic, just use the vending machines in airport train station to buy a single ticket to the commuter P-train.
Important note 1: Select flights that should land in Helsinki no later than afternoon. If you reach Helsinki in evening time, the odds are that there are no train connections available to Jyväskylä on the same day. One may of course spend one night in Helsinki, and travel to Jyväskylä on the following morning, just use the provided link to check the train schedule and create a travel plan that suits your preferences. Alternatively, if your flight is landing in Helsinki evening time, and you'd prefer to reach Jyväskylä still in the same evening, you may inspect the bus option, see below.
Important note 2: When travelling back home from the conference, note that this time you need to take the I-train from Tikkurila to the airport.
Option 2: Fly to Jyväskylä
As of this writing, Finnair has two daily flights between Helsinki and Jyväskylä, but not on Saturdays. Schedule for June 2027 is presently unavailable. Check the flight schedules on Finnair webpage closer to the beginning of the conference.
Jyväskylä (Tikkakoski) airport is a minor airport approximately 20 km north of Jyväskylä city center. There is no public transportation connecting the airport to the city center other than taxi. It is recommended to pre-book a taxi before you board your flight in Helsinki. One-way taxi from the airport to Jyväskylä city center could cost around 60-80€ depending on your final destination, time of the day, number of passengers etc. We advise considering sharing a taxi with other participants to reduce the cost per person.
There are multiple taxi operators in the city, JYTaksi is perhaps the most traditional of them.
It is also possible to pre-book a rental car to the airport.
Option 3: Bus
Regular bus options are available from the Helsinki airport to Jyväskylä, check Matkahuolto website for schedules.
Option 4: Car
The distance between Jyväskylä and Helsinki metropolitan area is around 270 km, and it is easy to cover on the E75 highway via city of Lahti in about 3.5 hours.