Wondering how to pay for metro and bus rides in Finland - cash only, or do cards work too?
Finland made me appreciate how easy public transport can be. I arrived at Helsinki Airport, went downstairs, and hopped on the train to the city by tapping my card. No queues, no kiosks, just straight card payment. Later I used the metro at Itäkeskus and buses around Vantaa, all the same - card or app, no coins. Staying near Hakaniemi, it felt like the entire city ran without cash. It’s modern, smooth, and reliable.
The only hiccup I had in Helsinki was that my foreign Visa sometimes didn’t work on the HSL app. At the station gates though, it was fine. I stayed in Lauttasaari, and every metro/bus trip was contactless card. But if your card isn’t set up for international payments, you’ll have trouble. Paper tickets from machines accept cards too, but cash is basically dead here. If you arrive with only coins, good luck spending them.
I was in Helsinki for a week, and the metro from Ruoholahti to the central station was always card-based. I used the HSL app most of the time - super easy with my Mastercard. Buses out to Espoo also worked with contactless taps. No one deals with cash. I stayed at an Airbnb in Kallio, and even late-night trams were card-friendly. It’s honestly one of the most cashless systems in Europe.
Finland is the opposite of El Salvador - almost everything works with cards. In Helsinki, the metro, buses, trams, and commuter trains are all under HSL. I stayed near Kamppi, and just tapped my contactless Visa at the gates. Apple Pay also worked flawlessly. Tickets can also be bought in the HSL app with a card. Cash is rare - even drivers don’t accept it anymore. I didn’t use coins once. If you have a working contactless card, you’re set.