Helsinki Survival: Affordable sports options in Helsinki for students

26.6.2024 0 Like 0 kommenttia

Affordable sports for students in and around Helsinki? Student Ambassador Rong-Ci shares their tips.

I am Rong-Ci from Taiwan, a student at the Academy of Fine Arts, and a student ambassador at the same time. I am very into sports in general. I have played volleyball for almost 10 years now, and after moving to Finland, I also started to skate a lot during the winter. During the summer, I wander around the city and beyond with my bike as much as possible.

In this blog post, I’ll be sharing a few recommendations for those who are into sports but are having a hard time finding access to affordable options.

Uniarts gym

In the Theater Academy, there is a gym which is open from 8 AM to 10 PM during the weekdays for Uniarts students and staff. The key can be acquired from the Theater Academy info desk. Academy of Fine Arts’ student ambassadors have made a video of the Sörnäinen campus which is currently on YouTube, and it’s possible to get a glimpse of the gym if you like.

The atmosphere in the school gym is generally healthy and not as intimidating as the private gyms outside the school might be.

Fitness 24/7

The student price for Fitness 24/7 is around 27 euros per month, which is a decent price in my opinion. However, the downside is that the gyms around the city can be crowded at times.

Aalto sports association

At Aalto University, you can find all kinds of sports clubs, such as volleyball, biking, bouldering, and sailing. I can’t list them all in the description as there are simply too many clubs. Some of these clubs are also available to students studying at universities other than Aalto. Most importantly, it’s possible to get a student discount if you’re part of a student union.

Tapiola Ice-skating rink

Tapiola Ice-skating rink is located in Tapiola, a 3-5 minute walk from the metro. There is a café where skates can be rented if you don’t have your own. There is no entrance fee. The rink is a bit farther from the center, but it is rather large and has relatively fewer people since it’s further from the city center. In my opinion, it is a good place for ice-skating beginners to practice.

Click here to find almost all the ice skating rinks in Helsinki.

Biking

Secondhand resources in Helsinki are wonderful. A well-maintained secondhand bike can easily be found at Kierrätyskeskus (a secondhand chain shop in Finland) or Tori.fi. There are also good Facebook groups for such purposes, such as Roskalava. The latter one is mostly in Finnish.

Click here to find more detailed information about how to get a secondhand bike in Helsinki.

Helsinki Public swimming halls

There are plenty of swimming halls located in every part of Helsinki. A one-time pass usually costs 5.5 euros. It is also possible to get a 10-time pass or a seasonal pass with a student discount. This is really worth it if you are a regular swimmer.

Click here for tips on swimming halls owned by the city of Helsinki.