Ticket validation, ticket inspection and penalty fare

Ticket validation

• In Helsinki commuter services (Helsinki-Riihimäki-Lahti, Helsinki-Lahti, Helsinki-Vantaankoski, Helsinki-Karjaa) an advance purchased ticket shall be validated in the validator in the entrance vestibule or else the ticket shall be produced to the conductor for validation in a ticketing compartment.
• Should no ticket have been purchased in advance, it can be bought
  • for long-distance services , from the conductor who also validates the ticket that does not entitle to seat booking;
  • for Helsinki commuter services (Helsinki-Riihimäki-Lahti, Helsinki-Lahti, Helsinki-Vantaankoski, Helsinki-Karjaa), only from the conductor in a ticketing compartment. The ticketing compartments are indicated by relevant signs both on the outside and inside of the trains.
  • In long-distance services , an advance purchased ticket shall immediately be produced to the conductor for stamping, at the conductor's first ticket checking round.

Ticket validation in commuter trains

The passenger shall himself validate an advance purchased ticket in the machine in the vestibule of the train. Should any assistance be needed in ticket validation, the train conductor in the ticketing compartment is glad to be of service. The ticket is only valid upon its validation. Helsinki Metropolitan area tickets need no validation as a period of validity is printed on the ticket as it is bought. If you travel with a long-distance multi-ticket in a commuter train go to the ticket-selling coach and ask the conductor to stamp your ticket.

An e-ticket bought at the Online Shop shall be produced to the conductor in the ticket-selling coach. An e-ticket is a personal ticket and therefore an identity card shall also be produced or when travelling with a 30 day pass, a VR identity card.

The Travel Card shall be displayed to the reader when boarding a transport vehicle or accessing a metro platform area or a VR commuter-train platform area at gate-ticketing hours.

Weekend night ticket inspection at Helsinki railway station

On week-end night services tickets of passengers boarding all commuter trains are checked before boarding the train at the Helsinki railway station. Friday and Saturday nights from 23.00 hrs until the end of the night services, the tickets are checked at the departure platform gate before boarding the train. The purpose of the platform-gate ticket inspection is to improve customer security.

Passengers have to present a valid ticket at the gate before boarding the train when using night services as fences are placed in areas leading to the commuter train platform. There is a card reader at the gate for passengers using a Travel Card. We recommend passengers arrive in good time at the gate ticket inspection in order to avoid delays.

Weekend night ticket sale at Helsinki railway station

• During night services tickets may be purchased in advance, from the ticket booth at the platform or from the ticket vending machines. It is also possible to use the Travel Card.
• It is possible to pay the night fare in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area with money loaded onto the Travel Card.
• Passengers travelling in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area can purchase their tickets from ticket vending machines.
• Adult single tickets and the night fare for the Helsinki city internal zone can also be conveniently purchased using a text message service.

The ticket vending booth in the platform area is open until the departure of the last night train. Next to the ticket vending booth is a VR ticket vending machine and two Helsinki Metropolitan Area ticket vending machines. There are restrictions in the types of tickets available in VR ticket vending machines during the night but commuter train tickets are available at all times.

It is not possible to purchase tickets onboard trains when boarding a commuter train in Helsinki. From other stations, e.g. Pasila, it is possible to purchase tickets from conductors. It is also possible to pay for the journey by presenting a Travel Card with money loaded onto it to the conductor or by validating the ticket at the Travel Card reader.

Ticket inspection and penalty fare

The inspectors of HSL (Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council) and the VR train conductors are entitled to check the tickets. You are responsible for having an adequate valid train ticket. Should this fail to be the case, the ticket inspector collects a penalty fare of €80 in addition to the relevant one-way fare.

Details for penalty fares call 09 476 64111 (M-F from 9 to 13).