City essentials: toilets, water, luggage and opening hours
The small things that make a city day easier: public toilets and how to pay for them, tap water, luggage storage and opening hours on weekends and public holidays.
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What are the public holidays in Finland?
Info Norden lists Finland's public holidays: New Year's Day on 1 January, Epiphany on 6 January, Easter in March or April with Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday, May Day on 1 May, Ascension Day 40 days after Easter Sunday, Midsummer, All Saints' Day, Independence Day on 6 December, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
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Is English widely spoken in Finland?
EF's English Proficiency Index measures the English skills of adults who take its online test.
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What time zone is Finland in?
Finland is in the Eastern European Time zone, UTC+2 in winter.
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How much is the bottle and can deposit in Finland?
The Finnish decree on beverage container return systems sets the minimum deposits: 0.15 euros for metal packages such as cans, 0.20 euros for plastic packages over 0.35 litres but under 1.0 litre, 0.40 euros for plastic packages of at least 1.0 litre, and 0.10 euros for other packages.
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What plug type does Finland use?
Finland uses plug types C and F.
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Where can I leave luggage at Helsinki Central Station?
VR says Helsinki railway station has luggage lockers that you can book for 3, 6, 12, 24 or 72 hours.
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Are there free public toilets in Helsinki?
Yes.
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Are shops open on Sundays in Finland?
Yes.
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How do you get rid of a Christmas tree in Helsinki?
The City of Helsinki says Christmas trees are collected free of charge from properties in the capital region and Kirkkonummi in a separate collection in January and February, starting after Epiphany on 7 January.
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How much mixed waste do households in the Helsinki region throw away?
HSY studied the composition of household mixed waste in Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa and Kauniainen in 2024.
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How do you sort household waste in Helsinki?
HSY, which runs household waste services in the Helsinki region, defines biowaste as food waste from cooking or serving, such as vegetable peels and leftovers, and inedible fruit, berries and food plants.
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How many public holidays fall on weekdays in Finland each year?
Taloustaito says Finland's calendar has 7 to 10 days off that fall on weekdays each year, and nine in 2026.
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When are Easter, Ascension Day and Midsummer in Finland in 2027?
Holiday calendars for Finland list Good Friday on 26 March 2027, Easter Sunday on 28 March and Easter Monday on 29 March.
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What are the official languages of Finland?
Section 17 of the Constitution of Finland states that the national languages of Finland are Finnish and Swedish.
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When do clocks change in Finland?
The Ministry of Transport and Communications says clocks are always changed on the last Sunday of March and October.
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Where can you find items lost on Helsinki public transport?
HSL says items found on public transport are taken to a lost property office at Helsinki Central Railway Station, in the basement of the West Wing at Elielinaukio 3.