The meeting badge must be visible at all times during the meeting.
Taxis can be ordered by phone, from taxi stands or hailed from the street. Taxi stands are located throughout the city centre, including outside the Central Railway Station, around Senate Square, along Esplanade Park and at ferry terminals. Taxis are available whenever the yellow light on the roof is on. Prices are fixed and shown on the meter. Both cash and credit cards are accepted.
A taxi between the airport and the city centre takes approximately 20 minutes and costs around €40-45.
Taksi-Helsinki +358 (0)100 0700
Airport Taxi Yellow Line +358 (0)600 555 555
Kovanen Taxi +358 (0)200 6060
Lähitaksi +358 (0)100 7300
Summer in Helsinki is bright. Days are at their longest in the second half of June, when the sun stays above the horizon for 19 hours. Owing to the vicinity of the sea, Finland’s climate is temperate. The average daytime temperature in June is usually +10°…+25° C. However, the weather may vary from sunny to showers of rain and warm clothing for night time is recommended.
For the latest weather forecast, see website http://en.ilmatieteenlaitos.fi by the Finnish Meteorological Institute.
The local currency in Finland is Euro (€). All major credit cards are widely accepted in Finland.
For an ATM machine, look for the sign “OTTO”. These 24-hour cashpoint machines are widely available and accept the following international ATM and credit cards: Visa, Visa Electron, EuroCard, MasterCard, Maestro, Cirrus and EC.
Banks are usually open on weekdays 10am–4:30pm. In addition to banks, there are several foreign currency exchange points available around the city centre. See for example:
Forex: Stockmann Department Store or Central Railway Station
The post offices (in Finnish Posti) are open from 9.00 to 18.00 on weekdays and they are closed on weekends. Stamps can be purchased from the post offices, most bookstores and paper shops, kiosks, and railway and bus stations. Stamped letters and cards can be posted in the yellow mailboxes for collection.
Tipping is not expected in Finland and a service charge is added in hotels and restaurants. Finnish people do tip (max 10%) only if they wish to appreciate good service or delicious food. It is not obligatory to give a tip to the taxi drivers.
You can connect your laptop or mobile phone to a wireless network in many places throughout the city centre e.g. in several cafes, restaurants and libraries.
For free WiFi, connect to “Helsinki City Open Wlan”. There are plenty of hotspots available in the city centre and at harbours. Also most hotels offer their guests a free internet connection. For the international research and education community, it is also possible to use Eduroam service while in Helsinki.
Voltage: 220–240 Volts. Electrical sockets (outlets) in Finland are one of the two European standard electrical socket types: ”Type C” Europlug and ”Type E/F” Schuko. The plugs are two-pin continental sizes.
Tap water quality is high in Finland and the tap water is drinkable.
The time in Finland is 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). The time difference between Eastern US Standard Time and Finnish Standard Time is 7 hours. The Daylight Saving Time (DST, 3 hours ahead of GMT) is in effect Mar 26 – Oct 28. Finland operates in the Eastern European Time Zone (GMT +2 hours). Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden = – 1 hour, United Kingdom = – 2 hours, New York = – 7 hours.
General Emergency number for police, ambulance and fire department is 112.
There are a number of pharmacies around the city. Look for the sign “Apteekki”, which means pharmacy in Finnish. Yliopiston Apteekki at Mannerheimintie 96 is open 24/7.
Emergency duty:
Haartman Hospital, Haartmaninkatu 4, +358 (0)9 3106 3231. Open 24h.
Medical care:
Terveystalo Kamppi, Jaakonkatu 3, +358 (0)30 6000. Open 24h.
Mehiläinen Töölö, Pohjoinen Hesperiankatu 17 C, +358 (0)10 414 00.
Upon registration participants agree that neither the Organizing Committee nor the Congress Secretariat assume any liability. Personal travel and health insurance is recommended. Organizer of the NBCC2019 shall not be responsible for and shall be exempt from all liability in respect of any loss, damage, injury, accident, delay or inconvenience to any person, or his /her luggage or any other property for any reason whatsoever, for any tourist services provided.
Finland is a member of the European Union and is a part of the Schengen area. Citizens of EU countries do not need a visa, but a valid passport is required. Citizens of other countries kindly contact the nearest Finnish Embassy for further information. Also, please check visa formalities if you plan to visit the Russian Federation during your trip.
The congress organizers will send a proof of registration as soon as the full registration fee has been received. The confirmation document will serve as your invitation letter when applying for the visa.
The organizer will assist applicants if needed in the visa application process. If you know you will be needing visa for your entry in Finland, please start the application process in good time.
More information about visas for Finland, please see www.formin.fi and further questions can be e-mailed to visas.passports@formin.fi.
