There will be major disruptions to public transport in the Helsinki region on Sunday 15 July and Monday 16 July due to the meeting of the US and Russian presidents. Most of the disruptions will be on Monday between 11am and 8pm. All tram services in the city will be disrupted several times during the day. Main streets may be closed and emptied for the presidential motorcades. Several bus routes will be diverted during the closures, causing major delays and disruptions to bus services across the region. Suomenlinna ferry will not operate on Monday. The ferry will be replaced by the service ferry operating to Katajanokka. In addition, various protests will cause diversions and delays. People are advised to opt for walking, cycling, the Metro and commuter trains, if possible. Metro services and commuter trains will mostly operate as usual on Sunday and Monday. Please allow plenty of extra time for your journeys!

UPDATED at 7.25pm: Tram and bus services are halted on Mannerheimintie for the presidents' motorcades.

Bus diversions

There will be major disruptions to bus services on Monday, both planned and unplanned. Main streets will be closed and emptied for the presidential motorcades. For security reasons, the routes of the motorcades are not published in advance. Bus services running along or across the main streets will be diverted and directed to the closest train or Metro station during the closures. This will cause disruptions and delays to all bus services in the region on Monday. Train and Metro services will mostly run as usual.

Planned changes

Bus 17 will be diverted. Bus 17 will run between Ullanlinna and Salmisaari throughout the day. The section of route between Kapteeninpuistikko and Hakaniemi is not served.

Bus 24 will be diverted from Sunday evening to Monday evening. The terminus of the bus will be on Linnankoskenkatu. The bus will not run between the Children’s Hospital and Seurasaari.

Follow HSL.fi.

Tram diversions

All tram services will be disrupted when main streets are closed to traffic. During the closures, trams will mainly stand at the stops where they are when the closure begins. Some trams will remain at the depot. The streets will be emptied of all vehicles during the closures. The services are expected to be disrupted several times during Monday, for up to over an hour. Normal services will resume with some delay after the disruptions.

There are various diversions to tram routes as well as long service disruptions on Monday 16 July. Opt for walking, cycling, the Metro and commuter trains, if possible. Follow HSL.fi.

Tram 2 will run the route of tram 6 to Hietalahti and back to Lasipalatsi from Eira along the route of tram 1. The tram will not serve the Market Square and Olympia Terminal.

Tram 3 will run the route of tram 1 to Eira from Lasipalatsi and back to Lasipalatsi from Hietalahti along the route of tram 6. The tram will not serve the Olympia Terminal.

Tram 4 will not run to Katajanokka. A replacement bus will run between the Central Railway Station and Katajanokka. Tram 4 will run from Lasipalatsi to the Central Railway Station and Hakaniemi, turn around the Areena House and run back from Hakaniemi via the Central Railway Station to Lasipalatsi. Aleksanterinkatu and Katajanokka will not be served.

Tram 5 will not run on Monday. A shuttle bus will run from Katajanokka to the Central Railway Station.

Tram 7 will be diverted to run from Hakaniemi via Helsinki University to the Central Railway Station. The tram will not serve Kruununhaka.

Map showing the tram diversion routes

https://www.hsl.fi/sites/default/files/uploads/skemaattinen_kartta_raitiolinjastosta_16.7._poikkeus3_0.pdf

Suomenlinna ferry

The ferry will not operate on Monday because the police will close the Market Square.

The service ferry Ehrensvärd will operate from the Suomenlinna service ferry pier to the service ferry pier in Katajanokka. Ehrensvärd will operate from 6am to 2am. The first ferry will leave from Suomenlinna at 6am and the last ferry from Katajanokka will leave at 2.20am.

A shuttle bus will run from Katajanokka to the Central Railway Station.

Ticket inspectors will be assisting passengers in Suomenlinna.

M/S Hessu will transport cargo, cars and trucks between the service ferry piers 10am-6pm.

Ports

West Harbor: A replacement bus will run every 5 minutes between the West Harbor and Ruoholahti Metro Station 6.30am-10.30pm. The Metro will run as usual. At the West Harbor, the bus stop is between the terminal 1 and 2, next to the Tyynemerenkatu and Länsisatamankatu intersection.

A shuttle bus will run between Katajanokka Terminal and the Central Railway Station. In Katajanokka, the bus will stop at Merisotilaantori as well as at temporary stops on Kanavakatu, in front of the Suomenlinna service ferry pier and Viking Line terminal. The first bus will leave from Merisotilaantori at 5.30am. The last bus from Merisotilaantori will leave at 2.20am on Tuesday early morning. The first bus from Ateneum to Katajanokka will be at 5.50am and the last at 2am. The bus will run every 5-10 minutes. The Metro and commuter trains will run as usual. The bus will serve bus stops along the route between Ateneum and Liisankatu.

The replacement buses are free of charge on Monday 16 July.

There will be no tram service from the Olympia Terminal during the closures. There will be no replacement bus services from the terminal.

City bikes

About ten city bike stations will be closed on Sunday 15 July and Monday 16 July in central Helsinki. It will not be possible to return bikes to these stations or to pick up bikes from them.

The Metro and commuter trains expected to run as usual

The Metro and commuter trains are expected to run as usual. Use commuter trains and the Metro for your journeys, if possible! Allow plenty of extra time for getting around in the city center.

U line services

There will be changes also to U line services. More information is available from the bus operators.

Guidance

On Monday, ticket inspectors will be assisting passengers in Suomenlinna and Katajanokka, as well as at Elielin aukio Square, Railway Square, West Terminal, Olympia Terminal, Market Square and Ilmala.

Read more about traffic arrangements in the joint release by City of Helsinki, Helsinki Police Department and HSL: https://www.hel.fi/uutiset/en/kaupunkiymparisto/major-impact-on-traffic-on-monday?pd=v

On Monday 16 July, people are advised to opt for walking, cycling, Metro or commuter trains, if possible. Metro and commuter train services will mostly operate as usual on Sunday and Monday. Please allow plenty of extra time for your journeys! Photo: Lauri Eriksson, HSL