There’s certainly been no easing into fall here in Helsinki! It’s been incredible to see how fast the cool fall air has come in, and quickly the daylight has been waning. My internal clock has been thrown through a loop! I usually leave to walk to university at around 10 am, but the sun is still so low that it still feels like dusk. By the time I get out of class around 2 or 3 in the afternoon, the sun is already well past its peak, once again approaching the horizon. While I enjoy the roughly half hour walk to campus in the morning and evening sun (especially these past few weeks with the beautiful fall foliage!), I may have to reconsider how I get to class if the days keep getting shorter and colder!
Thankfully, Helsinki has a great public transportation system. Whether you wish to travel by train, bus, pedal, or on foot there is an option for all. I’ve personally chosen to travel by the latter method, walking to and from class or exploring the city by running through the extensive system of park trails and running paths. The city, much like Boston, is very walkable and much smaller than it seems at first. When I’m feeling a bit lazy or when the weather isn’t too great, the metro system has come in handy. My student metro card gives me access to the commuter rail, below ground train, above ground tram, and the many buses. Unlike the T, the below ground train oddly only has one line, as the above ground tram connects most of the city. Navigating the transit system has taken a bit getting used to, the fact that I can hardly pronounce any of the stops or street names certainly doesn’t help my cause! Although not my preferred method of transportation, Helsinki, much like its fellow Scandinavian capitals (looking at you Copenhagen), also has a really good network of protected bike lanes. Unfortunately the cyclists aren’t so friendly if you wander into their lane, and they certainly don’t slow down!
Another interesting bit about transportation, jaywalking is completely unheard of here. Coming from playing Frogger crossing Huntington every day, it’s been almost comical how strictly everyone follows the walk signals even when there is no car or tram in sight. Maybe this will be a good lesson in patience, but I suspect I’ll be right back to my traffic dodging ways once I’m back on Northeastern’s campus this winter!
