How to find the fare of a walk up Finland intercity train ticket

[miklcct]

I am planning a journey in Finland which involves travel on an intercity train on the coming weekend. I'm trying to find out the price of journey for a flexible, walk up ticket (i.e. the equivalent to an off-peak single on National Rail), but during the booking process on the VR website, I can't find an option to select the flexibility I want.

My particular use case is to travel to Turku after landing at Helsinki Vantaa Airport, and I don't know if I can make a certain train service. If I can't I'll wait for a coach instead which is faster than waiting for the next train, so I don't know which route I'm going to use until the very last moment, and I would like to know the walk up fares of the services.

 

[JonasB]

I don't think VR offers flexible tickets for intercity trains. But an existing ticket can be rebooked for another departure at a cost.

 

[RailExplorer]

I am planning a journey in Finland which involves travel on an intercity train on the coming weekend. I'm trying to find out the price of journey for a flexible, walk up ticket (i.e. the equivalent to an off-peak single on National Rail), but during the booking process on the VR website, I can't find an option to select the flexibility I want.

My particular use case is to travel to Turku after landing at Helsinki Vantaa Airport, and I don't know if I can make a certain train service. If I can't I'll wait for a coach instead which is faster than waiting for the next train, so I don't know which route I'm going to use until the very last moment, and I would like to know the walk up fares of the services.

I don't believe they offer flexible tickets either as each ticket comes with a seat reservation. The only tickets that are flexible (and without a seat reservation, which oddly isn't mandatory) is Interrail/Eurail and FIP coupons.

Trains are usually not particularly busy so just book when you land.

 

[rvdborgt]

I don't believe they offer flexible tickets either as each ticket comes with a seat reservation.

You could still offer flexible tickets in such a case, with an easy way to change reservations free of charge. Several other operators do that.

 

[nwales58]

Short answer, if it was me: if you can afford up to Eur 40 or so for the train (for travel this afternoon), don't worry and book it once you're in the baggage hall. As it's nice Finland, Matkahuolto means at the moment you book you can see all the coach operators and their prices too.

But you don't know which coach you want either until you get there either.

Assuming you're a non-EU passport, my one recent experience arriving at Helskinki last June I was behind the last of a transatlantic arrival, immigration were asking lots of questions including wanting to see return bookings (Eurostar in my case which caused discussion). My log shows 75 minutes from on stand to landside (years ago travelling for work Helsinki used to be unbelievably fast but we were EU members then).

Flexible walk-up tickets everywhere would be nice, but the reality in many countries now is book on the phone once you know which train you'll catch. Despite passing 70 that's what I've grown used to doing.

Northern Europe is rather easy now for booking on the spot despite multiple modes and train operators.

For Sweden, SJ show trains and regional buses which can be faster or more frequent in parts of the country. For Norway, Entur show times and prices for train, coach, everything (no price for ferries but some of those are free). Both will book Interrail reservations even.

 

[miklcct]

Short answer, if it was me: if you can afford up to Eur 40 or so for the train (for travel this afternoon), don't worry and book it once you're in the baggage hall. As it's nice Finland, Matkahuolto means at the moment you book you can see all the coach operators and their prices too.

But you don't know which coach you want either until you get there either.

Assuming you're a non-EU passport, my one recent experience arriving at Helskinki last June I was behind the last of a transatlantic arrival, immigration were asking lots of questions including wanting to see return bookings (Eurostar in my case which caused discussion). My log shows 75 minutes from on stand to landside (years ago travelling for work Helsinki used to be unbelievably fast but we were EU members then).

Flexible walk-up tickets everywhere would be nice, but the reality in many countries now is book on the phone once you know which train you'll catch. Despite passing 70 that's what I've grown used to doing.

Northern Europe is rather easy now for booking on the spot despite multiple modes and train operators.

For Sweden, SJ show trains and regional buses which can be faster or more frequent in parts of the country. For Norway, Entur show times and prices for train, coach, everything (no price for ferries but some of those are free). Both will book Interrail reservations even.

Yes, the immigration is an uncertainty and at the same airport, on a non-EU passport, my fastest record was 10 minutes from door open to exiting airside. As I am travelling straight to a race and don't want to get my journey too tight, I will travel on the itinerary which gets me to my destination the fastest once I am out.

I want to know if there is a guaranteed price, like the off-peak single here, which acts as a price cap so I won't be faced with a 3-digit bill when trying to buy a ticket.

 

[nwales58]

No guaranteed price (the GB fare structure really is unusual internationally), I'd but look at VR and Matkahuolto for an immediate journey as a guide.

Now that we know you're going to a large event, you've probably done this already but if not I'd compare that date with that day the next week to see if trains are unusally full.

 

[Bletchleyite]

No guaranteed price (the GB fare structure really is unusual internationally)

I wouldn't say it was in that sense. Most countries have a flexible fare of some kind which acts as a price cap. It's walk up off peak type fares that are rare internationally.

 

[A S Leib]

I wouldn't say it was in that sense. Most countries have a flexible fare of some kind which acts as a price cap. It's walk up off peak type fares that are rare internationally.

Is there any way of finding out e.g. the highest Flexpreis fares can be without looking for days likely to be busier and assuming whatever's stated then would be the maximum?

 

[nwales58]

I wouldn't say it was in that sense. Most countries have a flexible fare of some kind which acts as a price cap. It's walk up off peak type fares that are rare internationally.

True. SNCF publish maximum Ouigo fares somewhere, for instance. DB, I think, is the old FlexPreis multiplied by a factor close to 1 by day of week then a 3-10% discount for early booking.

Trying not to divert onto a GB ticketing rant, keeping this on Finland and elsewhere internationally:
GB rail fares combine: a) some O-D pairs with very high unrestricted walk up fares with a much cheaper but heavily restricted off-peak walk-up so that many users consider advances, maybe only 1/8th of the open single, to be the 'normal' fare, and b) other flows where off-peak walk-up are the most commonly used fares (but there are still cheaper advances), c) some O-D pairs with almost satirical combinations of operator or route restrictions. Plus opportunities for split ticketing to make massive savings. So last minute buying can be painful on some routes.

Travelling in another country means dropping (my own even) warped thinking built up from regularly using rail in britain.

This forum, fortunately, has other people with loads of fare knowledge across Europe, hence the original post.

 

[signed]

The price range of long-distance train tickets is expanding – more affordable journeys now available - VR

www.vr.fi

This spring, we added more price levels to long-distance tickets. Because of this, you may see more tickets at different prices when booking a journey. The prices will be lower than before if you book well in advance and outside peak hours. During rush hours and peak seasons, the last seats on the train may be more expensive. For example, the lowest price for a train trip on the Helsinki–Kupittaa (Turku) route has so far been EUR 7.90 (EUR 7.20 for purchases without VAT from 1 January to 30 April 2023), but now, the ticket price can be as low as EUR 5.90 or EUR 6.90 (note: from 1 January to 30 April 2023, the VAT-free prices are EUR 5.40 and EUR 6.30).

VR updates long-distance train ticket prices

The new 25-point scale will mean passengers can get a good deal if they book in advance, but same-day departures during peak times could cost more than the price of a flight along the same route.

yle.fi

VR using AI in ticket pricing​

With its ticket pricing reform, VR will use Artificial Intelligence (AI) more and more in the process.

The AI system will analyze large amounts of data, not only train ticket sales data, but also booking and passenger numbers for different days and routes. The forecasts will also be influenced by seasonal variations in demand.

"Artificial intelligence and algorithms will help, but as in other businesses, it is ultimately the human being who drives the pricing, and we will create the pricing principles ourselves," Tyynilä explained.

The use of AI means that the price of a train journey can change several times, even on the same day, if demand fluctuates.

The cap is the price of the highest bucket, which seems to be non-public and is probably modified for each train as they use AI... SIGH.

A cursory search on Finland's opendata (which is how SNCF gives the max price here) doesn't give anything.

 

[miklcct]

I attempted to buy a ticket from the ticket machine but there was a "ticket printing charge", so I left the machine and obtained my ticket from the web. It cost me €23.90 for the first available departure from Helsinki Airport to Turku.

 

[RailExplorer]

I attempted to buy a ticket from the ticket machine but there was a "ticket printing charge", so I left the machine and obtained my ticket from the web. It cost me €23.90 for the first available departure from Helsinki Airport to Turku.

This is very reasonable price in my opinion. You can pay that much just to leave the airport by train to the city the airport mainly serves in some places, but you are getting that plus a 2 hour or so intercity journey.

 

[rf_ioliver]

I am planning a journey in Finland which involves travel on an intercity train on the coming weekend. I'm trying to find out the price of journey for a flexible, walk up ticket (i.e. the equivalent to an off-peak single on National Rail), but during the booking process on the VR website, I can't find an option to select the flexibility I want.

My particular use case is to travel to Turku after landing at Helsinki Vantaa Airport, and I don't know if I can make a certain train service. If I can't I'll wait for a coach instead which is faster than waiting for the next train, so I don't know which route I'm going to use until the very last moment, and I would like to know the walk up fares of the services.

There isn't quite simply. You can buy a ticket when you arrive - either by the VR app (recommended) or at a kiosk at the station. While VR uses demand based pricing, the difference for this route won't be that much.

As for routes -- basically there would only be one valid route. Take the commuter train from the airport to Pasila; change there for a train to Turku. There is the possibility of being routed Airport-Tikkurila-Toijala-Turku, but even if that is offered it would typically be more expensive and a longer journey.

NB: IIRC, if you buy Airport to Turku then the commuter train is included in the price. HSL and VR use different (but "semi"-integrated) ticketing systems.

 

[miklcct]

I am now on my return journey but due to track work, the line to Helsinki is bustituted so the Digitransit journey planner only returns bus options.

It suggests me from my race venue to take an Onnibus OB11 to Espoo, bus 530 then commuter train to the airport, however when I tried to book a ticket for the first departure (about 40 minutes before departure at Kaarina), it said sold out / unavailable. I asked the local people if I can just turn up and buy a ticket from the driver and they have no idea. Then suddenly 2 seats were released and I could buy a ticket.

Does anyone know if it is possible to take an Onnibus which has been sold out by buying a ticket from the driver? Thanks.