Exactly 100 km north from Helsinki with the motorway 3 E12. The nearest major city (and airport) is Tampere, about 75 km to the north. Road number 10 (From Turku to Lahti) also goes near the city.
As Hämeenlinna is situated at the most important railway of Western Finland its well connected with Helsinki and Tampere as well as cities further north, likes Vaasa, Oulu and Rovaniemi.
Buses from Helsinki to Tampere stop at Hämeenlinna.
Yes, there is a waterway between Tampere and Hämeenlinna. At summer it can be the most enjoyable way to travel, while the views at the lake Vanajavesi are at their best. The trip can be quite long though. Finnish Silver line offers cruises, which take 8 hours one way.
You can get around by car, by bus or by foot. For driving around, the city center is quite an irritating experience, with its tight intersections and numerous one-way streets. The services in the city center are within a few minutes’ walk, so a car is hardly necessary there. All buses stop at the market square while heading west and at the bus station (at Palokunnankatu near market square) while heading east.
Hämeenlinna has a good system of public transport. You can ride from one part of the city to another with a single ticket of 2.90€, kids 1.4€. Kauppatori is the center of Hämeenlinna's public transport system, but be aware that many bus lines go in both directions from Kauppatori. You can use interactive route planner to find bus routes.
The City of Hämeenlinna is building a 230-metre deck over highway 3 between Paasikiventie and Turuntie. The deck will join the western and eastern parts of the city centre. Construction work began in September 2011, with the deck set for completion in June 2013. The schedule for the deck project is 1 September 2011 – 17 June 2013.
Construction company NCC will build apartment buildings and a shopping centre of around 60 shops on the deck. The buildings are due
