Bus companies restore flights from Helsinki to St. Petersburg

Despite the resumption of bus service, only certain categories of citizens can come from Russia to Finland.

Bus companies promise to restore regular service between the Finnish capital and St. Petersburg. It was interrupted in March last year due to the outbreak of a pandemic.

The Sovavto company will make its first flight on July 9th. From July 14, flights will be operated three times a week: on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. On the way, there will be stops in Vaalimaa, Hamina, Karhula, Loviisa, Porvoo and at Helsinki-Vantaa airport. From St. Petersburg the bus will leave at 7.45 (arrival at 15.50), from Helsinki at five in the evening (arrival at 00.10).

Carrier Ecolines announced the resumption of regular flights between St. Petersburg and Helsinki from 15 July. At first, the buses will run on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, but in the future the company plans to make flights daily. Buses from St. Petersburg will depart at 6.45 and arrive in Helsinki at 13.40. The return flight will start at 15.30 in Kamppi and end at 23.30 in the northern capital of Russia.

Since June 25, Ecolines has already restored direct bus service between Russia and Finland, opening the St. Petersburg-Lappeenranta route. So far, buses run three times a week.

Despite the gradual resumption of transport links, only select categories of citizens can cross the border. For ordinary tourists, both entry to Finland and exit from Russia through land checkpoints are still closed. Full instructions in Russian about who has the right to enter Finland can be found on the Border Guard website.