Located 50km north of Helsinki, this railway town has a popular ski resort, a Finnish railway museum, and art galleries inside former textile mills.
Hyvinkää, a city of 47,000 residents, sits 50 kilometers north of Helsinki. You'll find Russian imperial train carriages at the Railway Museum, climb through pine forests at SeikkailuSveitsi adventure park, and walk among works by Finnish masters like Helene Schjerfbeck at the Art Museum. The city comes alive in September during the Red Carpet film festival, when Finnish cinema takes center stage.
Getting to Hyvinkää
Regular trains run between Helsinki and Hyvinkää, with the journey taking 45 minutes. The train station sits in the center of the city, making it easy to explore the main attractions on foot. If you're driving, take highway E12 north from Helsinki - the drive takes about 45 minutes in normal traffic conditions. Seven bus routes connect different parts of the city from the central station.
Finnish Railway Museum
Walk through original 1870s railway buildings to discover Finland's railway history. The museum's highlight is its collection of Russian imperial carriages - the only ones that survived - with their original silk upholstery and wooden panels intact. You can climb aboard various locomotives and see how train technology evolved from steam engines to electric trains.
Sveitsi Nature Area
Walk or run on 40 kilometers of marked paths through pine forests and past ice age formations. Mountain bikers can explore 45 kilometers of dedicated trails. In winter, you can ski on 70 kilometers of maintained cross-country tracks. At SeikkailuSveitsi adventure park, climb through ten different routes in the forest canopy, including a zipline that crosses over a deep glacial kettle formation.
Art and Museums
The Hyvinkää Art Museum displays paintings by Finnish artists Helene Schjerfbeck and Tyko Sallinen, who lived and worked in the region. The museum updates its temporary exhibitions several times yearly. During the Red Carpet festival in September, you can watch new Finnish films and meet directors and actors. Visit the Valvilla Mill Museum, in a converted firefighting building, to learn about wool manufacturing and textile production that shaped the city.
Sports and Recreation
Cycle through the city on 250 kilometers of dedicated paths connecting residential areas to the center. At Kytäjä Golf, play on two 18-hole courses where forests and lakes form natural boundaries. The Hyvinkää Golf course incorporates the Vantaa river into its design. During winter, practice skiing on the beginner slope or challenge yourself on more advanced runs at the ski center.
City Center
Find shops and restaurants under one roof at the Willa shopping center. Look up to see the distinctive pyramid shape of Hyvinkää Church, completed in 1961. Architect Aarno Ruusuvuori designed both the building and its altar cross, creating a modernist church that sparked local debate when it opened.
