Travel and Accommodation during the Fall Arrival Orientation on August 19-22, 2024

Back to the main page

Travel for out-of-towners

If you travel to the orientation from outside the capital region (cities of Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, and Kauniainen), please read the following:

• Plan to arrive in Helsinki on Monday, August 19 by 12:00 noon. The orientation program starts at 13:00 with a bus ride to Korpilampi. 
• On Thursday, the program ends by 15:45. We recommend booking a train/bus departing earliest at 17:00 in order to have time to get your luggage from the hotel after the orientation program.
• Grantees traveling to the orientation from their Finnish host city outside the capital region will have their travel expenses reimbursed by the Fulbright Finland Foundation. Travel arrangements should be made by the least expensive means available (train or bus). For reimbursement, we need the original receipts and tickets.
• If you are planning to travel to Helsinki by plane, please contact the Foundation in advance to discuss the ticket fares before booking your flights.
• Please note that the Fulbright Finland Foundation does not reimburse grantees' family members travel expenses.
• It is important you purchase your tickets early. If you travel by train, please note that tickets become more expensive depending on how in demand the particular trip is, and how close to the journey you purchase your ticket. We will be able to reimburse a maximum of total 150 € for your travel to and from Helsinki. You can read more about the pricing of train tickets from this YLE News article: https://yle.fi/a/74-20034198

Please note that local taxi/bus/tram/metro rides within your departure city or the city of the event are not reimbursed.

After the orientation, keep the receipts and tickets for personal record-keeping and send us the digital copies together with your account number using this SurveyMonkey latest by Monday, September 2.

It is advisable that you make your travel reservations to Helsinki (and back) early. The national railway company is VR (www.vr.fi/en/) and available bus lines include Onnibus (www.onnibus.com/home) and Matkahuolto (www.matkahuolto.fi/en/).Your travel costs are reimbursed only if you attend the entire orientation program ending on Thursday afternoon.

Also, please know that we, unfortunately, cannot reimburse any costs which may occur from changing your tickets, purchasing cancellation insurance, or buying extra services e.g. the seat next to you or a cabin.

Travel reimbursements for grantees with a Finnish bank account

Grantees with Finnish bank account will be reimbursed after the event.

Travel reimbursements for grantees without a Finnish bank account

The reimbursements for all Fulbright Finland Foundation events will be paid to your U.S. account at the same time in one lump sum after your grant term (payments are made in December and in June).

The reimbursement amounts in euros will be converted to U.S. dollars based on the bank’s exchange rate on the date of payment. While the Foundation will cover its own bank’s fees for the international transfer, your own bank’s fees will be covered by you (these fees will vary between banks). However, an extra USD 30 will be added to the total to help to mitigate the international transfer fees.

Please note that regardless of the date of the final payment you are required to send your travel tickets and receipts by the deadline after each event. This is because Fulbright Finland Foundation needs the receipts in order to close the accounting for each of the events.

Accommodation (Scandic Hotel Kaisaniemi)

The Fulbright Finland Foundation will arrange and cover accommodation during the Orientation for three nights on August 19-22 (check-out on Thursday, August 22) for those grantees spending their Fulbright period outside the capital city region i.e. grantees who do not have an apartment in the capital city region.

• Fulbright Scholar Program grantees will be accommodated in one-person rooms. If you have family members accompanying you, please note that only one room per family will be covered (up to 4 people in one room). If additional rooms are needed, they will be at your own expense.
• Fulbright Student Program grantees will be accommodated in two-person rooms, shared with another student Fulbrighter. If you want to have a single room or if additional rooms are needed (for family members), extra costs will be at your own expenses. In these cases, you will pay the bill at the hotel, and the Fulbright Finland Foundation will reimburse half of two persons room's cost against the original hotel receipt. Please let Heidi (heidi.tiainen(a)fulbright.fi) know if you have any questions or concerns about this. 

You will be accommodated at Hotel Scandic Kaisaniemi (Kaisaniemenkatu 7). The hotel is located in the Kaisaniemi part of Helsinki, 1 km of the Fulbright Finland Foundation Office and 400 meters of the central railway station.

If you would like to reserve additional rooms or extend your stay at your own expense, you can send your inquiry directly to [email protected] after June 23. Mention in the message that you are part of the Fulbright Finland Foundation group reservation. The hotel is within easy walking distance of several tram lines and the metro line from the University of Helsinki and Kamppi stations.

Due to renovations at the Central Railway Station, the metro does not go through the railway station in August. If you use metro, the nearest stop is Kamppi from the west, and University of Helsinki from the east. Regular trains still arrive and depart from the Central Station.