Helsinki Swedish Theatre

The basics

Visitors to the city can experience the Helsinki Swedish Theatre by sitting in on one of the theater’s performances. The reason why performances are given in Swedish is that it’s the country’s second official language and one used for hundreds of years under Swedish rule. Subtitles are provided in Finnish and Swedish and for major musicals, occasionally in English. But even if you can’t understand the specifics, you can experience the atmosphere of a performance and admire the auditorium’s rich golden decor.

Things to know before you go

• Late patrons will not be allowed inside the theater hall and will have to wait until intermission to go in.

• There is a restaurant inside the theater, as well as a cafe, which is open during intermission. Large groups are recommended to make a reservation.

• The theater house and all its stages are designed to be barrier-free, with two elevators available to access the stages. The first three rows require no steps, and wheelchair spaces are available.

• All stages are equipped with a hearing loop, with staff able to assist.

• There is no strict dress code for the theater, and casual clothes are acceptable.

How to get there

Sitting at the end of Esplanadi Park, the Helsinki Swedish Theatre is in the city center. Many city tram lines, including the 1, 3, and 6, stop at the Ylioppilastalo tram stop right across the road, while the 2 and 4 trams run to the other Ylioppilastalo tram stop a block away.

When to get there

Deciding when to go to the Helsinki Swedish Theatre will depend on what’s playing and what you wish to see. The onsite ticket office is only open in the afternoon and not every day, but the box office is open one hour before performances, and you can also book online. Theater doors open 45 minutes before a performance, and the ring to take your seats will sound 10 minutes before the show starts.

The performing arts in Helsinki

Helsinki has a strong love for the performing arts, whether theater or music. Besides going to the Helsinki Swedish Theatre, you can also see performances at the Finnish National Theatre, with its three stages, and at the Alexander Theatre, also known as the Russian Theatre. As for music halls, the strikingly geometric Musiikkitalo is probably the city’s most interesting and visually impressive.