Travel instructions

This page provides information about things that you should know about the Helsinki Transport Service before making a reservation. You can find information about aspects such as travel cards and practices, as well as aid devices and assistance during travel.

On this page

Payment card and travel

Once you have been granted the right to use the transport service, you will receive a Helsinki Transport Service payment card with which you can travel within Helsinki, from Helsinki to the neighbouring municipalities and back, and within the neighbouring municipalities (Espoo, Kauniainen, Vantaa and Sipoo, as well as Onnela for the visually impaired).

You can only use the payment card to pay for transport ordered via the Helsinki Transport Service. In exceptional situations, if you are unable to reach us within 15 minutes or your transport is 15 minutes late, you can also use the payment card to pay for transport ordered via Taksi Helsinki or Menevä. In such cases, please check that the transport can be paid for with the payment card before placing your order. 

Learn more on the ‘How to order or cancel transport’ page.(Link leads to external service)

In addition to the travel expenses charged to your payment card, a co-payment will be collected from you as a client fee. The co-payment will be equal to the current price of a two-zone single ticket from HSL. 

You can find more information on our ‘Travel co-payments’ page.(Link leads to external service)

Your transport service payment card is personal, and you must not hand it over to other persons. Please notify your local disability services social work unit if you change your place of residence or lose your payment card. You can dispose of an unneeded card by cutting it in half, for example. All cases of misuse will be investigated.

Travel elsewhere in Finland

If you have been granted the right to receive transport services according to the Act on Disability Services and need transport elsewhere in Finland, please contact your social instructor.

Matters to consider when ordering transport

One-way transport from one place to another is counted as one trip. For a return trip, you must order separate transport. You can order a round trip or several trips at the same time.

Only on visits to a cemetery can you have the same vehicle for both the outward trip and the return trip. In such cases, the vehicle will wait for you for no longer than 20 minutes. Two trips will be charged to your payment card, and we will also charge you co-payments for the trips.

The transport and the vehicle will always be arranged based on your client information and needs. For example, if the person accompanying you uses an electric wheelchair but you travel by car, a car will be used for your transport in accordance with your client information.

You can order transport based on the departure time or the arrival time.

 

You can order transport based on the departure time no later than 30 minutes before the desired departure time. 

Please note that the departure time may deviate by up to 20 minutes, or if you need a disabled vehicle, 10 minutes from your desired departure time. This means that the vehicle may arrive before or after your desired departure time.

If you order transport based on the arrival time, place your order no later than two hours before the departure time.

Please note that your desired arrival time is definite, and the transport must not be late. The time of arrival at the destination can be scheduled to be up to 20 minutes earlier than your desired time, or if you need a disabled vehicle, 10 minutes earlier.

You are also provided with two quick trips per month, in which the vehicle will arrive within 15 minutes from your order. If you have a justified reason, you can also apply for additional monthly quick trips with your local disability services social work unit. You can have a maximum of six one-way quick trips per month.

Please note that ordering a quick trip is not possible during times such as peak traffic hours. Our customer service personnel will assess whether you can be provided with a quick trip at the time of your choosing.

Due to their limited availability, disabled vehicles cannot be ordered for quick trips and will arrive no sooner than 30 minutes from the order.

  • have one 10-minute stop along the way if the deviation from the route is less than one kilometre. Cemetery visits are an exception, in which case the vehicle will wait for you for 20 minutes at the most.
  • have one person accompanying you free of charge.
  • have one companion and children under the age of 13 with you in addition to a person accompanying you, in accordance with the number of passengers allowed in the vehicle. The persons travelling with you will pay a sum equal to the currently charged co-payment for the trip. Children under the age of seven travel free of charge.
  • bring a pet or a trained guide, support or assistance dog with you.
  • Please notify the transport provider if you need to take a stop or have a companion, pet or assistance dog or person accompanying you with you when placing an order.

Assistance and aid devices during travel

For various aid devices, you will need a separate decision from your local disability services social work unit.

If you use a wheelchair, you will need stairway assistance or a stair climber if the departure or destination address has more than three stairs. In such cases, you will need a client decision regarding stairway assistance and/or the use of a stair climber, which you can apply for with your local disability services social work unit.

Please order your transport no later than the day before so that the necessary assistance can be ensured. Please provide an estimate of the number of stairs when placing your order.

If you use an aid device that is wider than 80 cm or very heavy, e.g. a heavy electric mobility scooter, you will need a large disabled vehicle for your transport. You can apply for a decision regarding the use of a large disabled vehicle with your local disability services social work unit. Please order your transport no later than the day before so that the necessary vehicle can be ensured.

Electric mobility scooter

An electric mobility scooter can only be transported in a Helsinki Transport Service vehicle if it can be safely secured in place during travel. The body of the electric mobility scooter must have special fastening points for this purpose.

If your transport service decision includes the right to have someone accompany you, you can be assisted and accompanied by your driver. In such a case, the driver can help you move from your home to the vehicle and from the vehicle to your destination, for example.

The right to use a disabled vehicle is granted to all who need one. If you have the right to use a disabled vehicle, the driver will be obligated to help you move to your destination address or vice versa, if needed.
When ordering transport, please notify the customer service representative of your need for assistance and to be accompanied by the driver so that we can reserve enough time for it.