The meeting of the defence and foreign ministers of EU member states will have an impact on traffic in the Helsinki metropolitan area from Wednesday 28 August to Friday 30 August

The Informal Meeting of Defence and Foreign Ministers of EU member states in Helsinki will affect traffic arrangements in the metropolitan area, especially in Helsinki and Vantaa, from Wednesday, 28 August 2019 until Friday, 30 August 2019. On Wednesday, traffic is also affected by the visit by the President of Latvia.

– The impact on traffic this week will be significant again, because two separate EU meetings will be held in Helsinki at the same time in addition to the visit by the President of Latvia. There will be several convoys in traffic, because guests will both arrive in and leave the country, says Superintendent Jarkko Lehtinen , Helsinki Police Department.

The convoys for the guests will disrupt traffic between Helsinki-Vantaa Airport and the meeting place, Finlandia Hall, on Wednesday, 28 August from roughly 10.30 am until the night. In addition, guests will be proceeding to the evening programmes on Wednesday and Thursday starting from 6 pm, which will cause traffic interruptions in the Helsinki city centre.

The traffic in the Helsinki city centre will be interrupted when the guests move from their hotels to the meeting place on Thursday and Friday morning between 7.30 am and 8.30 am. In addition, interruptions in traffic are to be expected between the meeting place, Finlandia Hall, and Helsinki-Vantaa Airport in both directions on Thursday from 10 am until 12 midnight.

Likewise, traffic will be affected between Finlandia Hall and Helsinki-Vantaa Airport as the guests leave on Friday, 30 August between 12 noon and 7 pm.

The most significant traffic interruptions will take place on Thursday afternoon – the police recommend using alternative routes

Interruptions in traffic are to be expected between the meeting place, Finlandia Hall, and Helsinki-Vantaa Airport in both directions on Thursday from 2 pm until 7 pm in particular. At this time, most of the guests will be leaving, but at the same time there will be at least as many new ones.

– At that time, the roads between Finlandia Hall and the airport will get jammed badly, so we definitely recommend using alternative routes, says Lehtinen.

– For instance, if you want to cross Mannerheimintie during rush hour, you have to prepare for at least one hour of queuing – also on Kehä I, when driving between Hämeenlinnanväylä and Tuusulanväylä, Lehtinen adds.

The most significant traffic interruptions will be on Tuusulanväylä, on Kehä I, on Hämeenlinnanväylä and on Mannerheimintie in the direction of the Helsinki city centre. For exiting and entering Helsinki, you can use the Itäväylä, Länsiväylä, Turunväylä, Vihdintie and the Lahti motorway, for example.

Public transport, cycling and walking

Changes are expected in public transport, especially in the inner city of Helsinki and on routes between the airport and Helsinki city centre. The bus traffic in Elielinaukio has been moved to Mäntymäki on Thursday and Friday morning between 7.30 am and 8.30 am.

Exceptions are reported on the Helsinki Region Transport (HSL) website hsl.fi.

Bicycle or pedestrian traffic will not be allowed in the surroundings of Finlandia Hall, as the area is completely isolated. However, you can get around the Töölönlahti bay right along the shore.

Aviation restricted in the surroundings of Finlandia Hall

There are restrictions on aviation inside a temporary no-fly zone due to the Informal Meeting of Defence and Foreign Ministers. The restrictions will be in place from 8 am Wednesday, 28 August 2019 until 9 pm Friday, 30 August 2019.

Around Finlandia Hall, there will be a rectangular no-fly zone, extending 700–1000 metres from Finlandia Hall. The no-fly zone covers 300 metres above ground.

– The Police monitors the restrictions actively and intervenes in any perceived violations. Ramifications of such violations include fines. In addition, the instruments of crime can be ordered forfeit to the State, says Chief Inspector Sami Hätönen , who is responsible for air traffic during the event.

The restrictions will not apply to the military, border guard, police, customs, maritime and aviation authorities, nor the authorities engaged in rescue, paramedic or patient transport services, or flights authorised by them, when carrying out their duties requires flying over the area.

The restrictions will also not apply to urgent medical aviation activities on helicopters, or to flights based on an international obligation which Finland must comply with.

The droneinfo.fi-website has the exact information about the temporary no-fly zone. Please note! Information cannot be found on the Droneinfo application.

– Another option is to use other sources of information, for example the unofficial aviamaps.com-website or the Aviamaps application, which give real time information. We as authorities, too, have noticed them to be working and reliable sources of information concerning temporary no-fly zones, Hätönen advises.

Before and during the meeting days, it is advisable to follow the following websites and social media channels:

Helsinki Police Department: www.twitter.com/helsinkipoliisi , www.poliisi.fi/helsinki , www.facebook.com/helsinginpoliisilaitos , www.instagram.com/helsinkipoliisi
Eastern Uusimaa Police Department: www.twitter.com/IUPoliisi
HSL: HSL.fi

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Traffic effects in the metropolitan area jpg, 207,5 kB