On this page you will find information on
How to get here
By plane
Turku (in Swedish Åbo) has a regional airport (TKU). Unfortunately, the pandemic period reduced direct flights. At the moment one can fly to Turku at least from Riga, Rome, Stockholm, Gdansk, Skopje, Helsinki, and Mariehamn.
The biggest international airport in Finland is in Helsinki (Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, HEL), which has good bus and train connections to Turku. This is probably the best option, especially for those arriving from outside Europe.
By bus or by train
You can catch a bus or a train to Turku directly from Helsinki-Vantaa Airport. You can see the bus timetables here. Choose your preferred date, starting point Helsinki-Vantaa and destination Turku.
The rail journey starts with a local train from the airport to Pasila station, where you change to a train to Turku. For train timetable and tickets click here. Choose the date you wish to travel. The departure station for trains is Helsinki Airport and the final station is Kupittaa (Turku).
If your travel plans include a stopover in Helsinki, you can also catch the train or bus from Helsinki city centre. Buses leave from Kamppi bus station and trains from Helsinki Central Station. Tickets for local transport in Helsinki can be purchased from HSL ticket machines at the airport. A ticket for ABC zones is required between the airport and the city centre.
Tips:
- There will be a track renovation near Turku main railway station in summer 2023, so when travelling from Helsinki by train, please choose “Kupittaa (Turku)” as your destination. This prevents you from having to take a detour. (But if you are coming from Tampere, you should choose just “Turku” as your destination.)
- Both buses and trains are air-conditioned. The train is not only slightly faster, but often also a bit more comfortable.
- There is a big festival in Turku on the weekend before the conference. Therefore it is a good idea to buy your train and bus tickets well in advance, especially if you are travelling with a large group.
By boat
Turku can also be reached by ferry from Sweden. Two ferry companies operate between Turku and Stockholm: Viking Line and Silja Line. The journey takes about 11 hours. You can board the ship in Stockholm in the morning and spend the day on board, eating and enjoying the scenery, or you can take the evening boat and sleep the night away.
You can read more about different travel options on the Visit Turku website.
Getting around
Venues
The main venue for the conference is the main campus of the University of Turku (at Vesilinnantie 5). Other venues include the restaurant “Koulu” (at Eerikinkatu 18) in the city centre and Turku Castle (at Linnankatu 80).
Buses (and water buses)
The City of Turku will provide free local transport for all conference participants. Bus number 1 runs between the Airport, City Centre, and Harbour. Buses 32 and 42 will take you from Kupittaa railway station to the Market Square.
The university is within walking distance of both the city centre and Kupittaa railway station, but you can also hop on any of the buses that run along Hämeenkatu street. You can plan your bus trip in advance here.
Taxis
Depending on the company and time of day, taxis charge an initial fee of around €5-10 and €1-2 per person per km. All taxis have a meter. You can identify a taxi by the yellow sign on the roof.
It is not usually necessary to book a taxi in advance, but if you prefer, you can download a free taxi app that allows you to set your route and see the prices for different taxi companies.
Other
If you have lots of energy, you could also consider renting a city bike (€2 per hour or €6 per month).
Accommodation
The early bird gets the nice room
July is a busy tourist season in Turku, so we recommend booking your accommodation as early as possible.
Conference hotels
(1) Scandic Hamburger Börs, Kauppiaskatu 6 and (2) Scandic Julia, Eerikinkatu 4
One kilometer from the university. Right in the city center. Distance to Kupittaa train station 1.7 km. One block from the bus stop to the airport.
(3) Original Sokos Hotel Kupittaa, Joukahaisenkatu 6
Right next to the Kupittaa train station. Distance to the university is 1 km.
(4) Holiday Club Caribia, Kongressikuja 1
A spa hotel a little further from the city center, but quite close to the university (about 800 m).
A quota has been secured for these hotels, with priority given to members of the working groups. You will receive booking instructions and codes when you register for the conference.
If you wish, you can also check room availability at other hotels in the same chain.
https://www.sokoshotels.fi/en/turku
https://www.scandichotels.com/hotels/finland/turku
The other numbers on the map indicate the locations of the University Guest House (5) and the Student Village (6).
Affordable accommodation
Forenom Aparthotel Turku (Kristiinankatu 9)
Forenom Serviced Apartments Turku (Uudenmaankatu 13 G)
Omena Hotel Humalistonkatu (Humalinstonkatu 7)
Omena Hotel Kauppiaskatu (Kauppiaskatu 4)
Ship Hostel s/s Bore (Linnankatu 72)