Taxis, Telephone and Tipping
Taxis can be obtained by telephone (see telephone directory under Taksi) or from taxi ranks. The central taxi reservation number in Helsinki is 0100 0700.
All taxis have an illuminated yellow sign clearly marked ‘Taksi/Taxi'. When the sign is lit the taxi is vacant, but taxis will often head for the nearest taxi rank before actually picking up passengers. Payment can be made using Finnish bank cards and major international credit cards as well as cash.
The usual basic fare is 4.50 euros. The fare rises gradually on a kilometre basis, as indicated by the meter, and depending on the number of passengers. Yellow Taxis from and to Helsinki airport operates on a share basis, and fares depend on the number of people in the car. The single fare for a one-way trip between the airport and the city centre is 17 e.
At night from 20.00 to 06.00, on Saturdays from 16.00 and on Sundays the basic fare is 7.00 euros. The waiting charge is 33.20 euros an hour. Price examples: a five-kilometre daytime journey for 1-2 persons in Helsinki costs about 10.30 euros and a journey from Helsinki-Vantaa Airport to the city centre for two passengers costs between 25 and 30 euros. Tipping is not necessary for Finnish taxi drivers. You can of course round the bill up to the nearest full amount if you feel you've been treated with good service and smooth ride.
Finnish taxis are comfortable, safe and modern cars. Fitted with the latest GPS navigation systems, even the most remote addresses are easily found. But due to the Finnish language, which may be rather diffucult to pronounce, it is advisable to write down the address of your destination.
Telephone:
By direct dialling:
1. dial the international prefix (00, 990, 994 or 999)
2. the country code (without the general prefix 0)
3. the trunk code (without the general prefix 0 or to Spain without 9)
4. the subscriber's number
For international number enquiries and tariff information dial 020208.
Calls to Finland
To call Finland from abroad first dial the international prefix of the country you call from, second the country code to Finland (358), third the trunk code without the prefix 0, fourth the subscriber's number.
Calls in Finland
To make an automatic call in Finland, the trunk code is used with the prefix 0. To book a manual long-distance call dial 020222. For tariff information, dial 9800-8353. For number enquiries dial 020202. For information on mobile phones dial 9800-7000. Besides telephone booths and hotels, calls can be made from local post and tele offices.
Area Codes
The trunk prefix for calls made within Finland is 0, and the international access code for calls out of Finland is the pan-European prefix 00. Callers to Finland abroad should first dial the country code, 358, and then the area code, without the first (0).
Tipping:
Tipping culture is almost non-existent in Finland, although it has become more common recently. Service charges are included in hotel room rates, restaurant and taxi prices, so tips are not expected, but can be given if you think the service has been especially good. A cloakroom fee of about 2 euros for restaurant doormen should be clearly indicated in the cloakroom area.
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