arriving
Arriving at the Opera House
The Opera House is located next to the Töölönlahti bay at Helsinginkatu 58. Read this page to find out the easiest ways to get here.
Roadworks on Mannerheimintie
The major roadworks on Mannerheimintie are causing significant changes to transport links and routes around the Opera House. Please allow extra travel time and be prepared for exceptional routes and potential congestion. You can check your public transport options on the HSL Journey Planner.
For the latest information on the progress of the roadworks, please visit the Manskun katutyöt website (in Finnish).
Please note that the lanes will merge at the intersection of Mannerheimintie and Reijolankatu starting from November 20th, which may cause congestion on the lanes heading towards the city center on Mannerheimintie.
Entrance to Main Stage performances
The Opera House has two entrances: the main entrance on Mannerheimintie and the Töölönlahti bay entrance on Oopperankuja. If you’re coming to see a performance on the Main Stage or in the Main Foyer, you’re welcome to use either of the entrances. The main entrance usually opens 1.5 hours before the start of a Main Stage performance.
Do arrive in good time. Latecomers are not admitted to the auditorium until the interval if the performance has already started. We recommend arriving at the Opera house no later than 15 minutes before the start of the performance. More tips on how to make your visit a success can be found here.
Entrance to the Almi Hall and children’s events
Entrance to performances at Almi Hall, children’s events, and our customer service point is located on the Töölönlahti bay side on Oopperankuja. This is also the accessible entrance to the Opera House. In principle, the Oopperankuja entrance has the same opening hours as our customer service point.
Accessible entrance
Our accessible entrance is located on Oopperankuja on the Töölönlahti bay side of the building. The Opera House car park, which is reserved for visitors with limited mobility, can be found next to the entrance. Read more about accessibility at the Opera House.
Customer service point and Opera Shop
The customer service point and the Opera Shop with fan merchandise are located to the right from the Oopperankuja entrance. On performance days, the Opera Shop is open until the end of the 1st interval. If there is no interval, the shop closes when the performance starts.
Public transport is preferable
Taking a tram or bus is the most convenient way to arrive at the Opera House. In the evenings, information screens in our lobbies display the next bus and tram departures from nearby stops. You can find the latest route and schedule information on the HSL website. You can also search for a route directly from the Route Guide below. After searching for a route, you go to HSL’s Route Guide.
Travelling to the Finnish National Opera and Ballet by train and bus is easy from outside the Greater Helsinki Area, too. The walk from Helsinki Central railway station to the Opera House takes approximately 20 minutes via the scenic route by the Töölönlahti bay. For bus connections, please visit the Matkahuolto website.
Parking
The nearest public car park is located on Mäntymäki field at just 100 metres from the Opera House (Mäntymäentie 1). A parking charge applies on weekdays until 9 p.m., but parking is free at all other times. Please allow enough time to find a parking space, as besides the Opera House, local parking serves the customers of the Kisahalli sports hall, the Olympic Stadium and the Bolt Arena, as well as the residents of the Töölö district.
Paid parking can also be found in the P-Töölö multi-storey car park under the Scandic Park and Crowne Plaza hotels. Please see this map for more car parks.
The small car park of the Finnish National Opera and Ballet on Oopperankuja on the Töölönlahti bay side is only for visitors with limited mobility or for short-term parking (15 min). After performances, the car park is reserved for taxis.
Taxis
The Opera and Ballet orders taxis from reliable operators to the entrance on the Töölönlahti side after every performance. If you want to order your taxi yourself, please order your ride, for example, to Helsinginkatu or Mäntymäki field.
Arriving by bicycle
Arriving at the Opera House by bicycle is a breeze. Bike racks are provided next to both entrances.
Map of nearby areas
Explore our facilities
You can explore the public spaces of the Opera House by viewing the layout maps. Free cloakrooms and toilet facilities can be found near the entrances on Mannerheimintie and Oopperankuja (on the Töölönlahti bay side). The service counters of the Opera Restaurant are located at each end of the Main Foyer, in the Almi Hall Foyer, and in the Aino Lobby. Read more about the services and opening times of the Opera Restaurant.
If you want to check the location of your seat in the auditorium beforehand, please see the seat maps on our Stages page. You will find the row numbers at the end of each row and the seat numbers on each seat at both the Main Stage and Almi Hall auditoriums.
