Bus and boat on one ticket

A day ticket that covers both the hop-on hop-off bus and an archipelago cruise. Buses run every 30 to 40 minutes between 10:00 and 16:00 from Bus Stop #1, under the red sign. Boat departures leave Market Square at 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00. Audio guide in 10 languages. The season is fixed: 2 May to 30 September. Rated 4.3, from 75 reviews.

Rating4.3 out of 5

Reviews75

ValidityOne day, bus and boat

Bus hours10:00 to 16:00, every 30 to 40 min

Boat departures12:00, 14:00 and 16:00

Season2 May to 30 September

The arithmetic, because this ticket is arithmetic

Three numbers decide whether this works for you: the buses run 10:00 to 16:00, the boats leave at 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00, and the ticket is valid for one day. That means the last boat leaves at the same moment the buses stop, so a plan built around the 16:00 sailing has no bus at the end of it. Work backwards from the sailing you want.

The version that works, in my experience of watching it happen from the quay: bus in the morning from 10:00, cover the parts of the city that are spread out, be at Market Square by about 11:40, take the 12:00 boat, and use the afternoon buses afterwards. That gets you the whole ticket. The version that does not work is arriving at 15:50 hoping to do both.

Who it suits

People with one day and a list. People who do not want to work out the tram network. People staying somewhere the trams do not conveniently reach. It is a coverage product: it is not the best boat trip here and it is not the best way to see any single thing, but it removes a lot of decisions.

It suits you badly if you were going to walk anyway. Central Helsinki is small and flat, and the distance from the cathedral to the Old Market Hall is nothing. If your day is mostly in the centre, buy the ninety-minute boat on its own and walk.

Included

One day of hop-on hop-off bus, every 30 to 40 minutes, 10:00 to 16:00
An archipelago cruise from Market Square at 12:00, 14:00 or 16:00
Audio guide in 10 languages
Departures from Bus Stop #1, marked with a red sign

Not included

Any operation outside 2 May to 30 September
A landing on an island — the cruise is a loop
Buses after 16:00, which is when the last boat leaves
The Suomenlinna ferry, which is HSL transport on a separate city ticket
Entry to any museum the bus stops outside

What works

Two things on one ticket, with no second booking to think about
Buses every 30 to 40 minutes is frequent enough to be usable rather than theoretical
Ten-language audio guide covers most visitors to this city
Good for a first day, or a day with children and a lot of ground to cover
Valid a full day, so you are not racing a two-hour window

Worth knowing

4.3 across 75 reviews — a modest sample and a modest score
The last boat and the last bus are the same hour, which catches people out
The season is hard-edged: nothing at all outside 2 May to 30 September
Ten languages on the bus, against 28 on the flagship boat
Central Helsinki is walkable, so half the bus network may be wasted on you

What people say about it

Kerstin, from Germany: “A great tour of the city and by boat through the archipelago. The guide was great; I understood everything well.” Javier, from Spain: “The best thing is the cruise — a relaxing way to explore Helsinki.” Lorraine, from Australia: “The combination gave you a great overview of Helsinki along with its sights and history.” Javier is telling you something useful there, and the honest reading of 4.3 is on the review page.

Local tip

If you are off a ship for the day, check your all-aboard time against the 16:00 sailing before you buy this. A day ticket is poor value on a six-hour call, and the safe choice from the port is the ninety-minute loop with a tram at each end. The cruise port page has the quays and the tram numbers.

Book the bus and boat ticket

Live availability is below. If the bus is not the point, the boat on its own is ninety minutes and leaves more often, and the one-day itinerary shows what fits without a bus ticket.

Check dates & book

If this one is not right

Leaves from Market Square

Those dates don’t work?

Browse the other boats leaving Helsinki — the short archipelago loops, the evening cruises and the crossings to Tallinn — and pick a day that suits you, with instant confirmation.

Live availability & other boats

We are an independent guide, not a boat operator and not a ferry company. Booking links go to GetYourGuide and are affiliate links — if you book through them we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. See our affiliate disclosure.

Frequently asked questions

What time do the buses and boats run?

Buses every 30 to 40 minutes from 10:00 to 16:00 from Bus Stop #1, under the red sign. Boats from Market Square at 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00.

How long is the ticket valid?

One day, covering both the bus and one archipelago cruise. It runs 2 May to 30 September only.

Does the cruise land anywhere?

No. It is a loop out through the archipelago and back to Market Square. Only the RIB tour goes ashore.

Does this ticket include the Suomenlinna ferry?

No. The ferry is HSL public transport and needs an ordinary AB city ticket: how to ride it.

Is it worth it if I am only in the centre?

Probably not. Central Helsinki is small and flat. Buy the boat on its own and walk: is a boat tour worth it?.