Visitor's Information

Guests of Honor
Google map showing the locations

This page should answer most of your practical questions about Ropecon. If you need more information, do not hesitate to e-mail us at tiedotus@ropecon.fi, and we will be in touch!

Arrival

If you are arriving by plane, you will most likely land at the Helsinki-Vantaa International Airport.

Unless you wish to truly travel in comfort regardless of the cost, we do not suggest taking the taxi. The fare will likely be in the €40-€50 range per ride.

Renting a car is relatively expensive and not recommended unless you also bring a GPS navigator. (Some rental cars may include one, but don’t rely on it.)

There’s an excellent public transport system in the area. Taxis, the subway, trams, and buses are all very safe and reliable.

You will find all about the local public transportation (except for the taxis) at this website: Helsinki Public Transportation

Also, this Wikipedia page might prove useful: Public Transportation in Helsinki

If you have a smartphone, there's an excellent application, "Andropas" by Akiware, designed to help traveling in Helsinki-Espoo-Vantaa region. You can find and download it from the Android Market.

The Journey Planner is a very helpful tool.

Choose “From: Airport, Vantaa” and “To: Otaniemi Sports Hall, Espoo”, and you’ll end up right next to Dipoli. Which bus(es) to take depends a bit on when you’re arriving. Generally, you take bus #615, get off at “Mäkelänkatu”, and switch into bus #506, but there are other options.

You need to switch to another bus on the way, but when buying the ticket to the first one at the airport, tell the driver, just in case, that you need to get to Otaniemi, Espoo. You only need to pay once, and then just show the receipt in the next bus. Switching is free within an hour or so.

This way, you can get to Dipoli conference center (or back to the airfield) for about 4 euros per person. The travel time is about an hour.

NOTE: Bus drivers are not obliged to accept banknotes bigger than 20 euros! If you want to go to Helsinki:

If you also plan to travel to Helsinki and see the sights and whatnot, you can opt to buy a regional ticket for 1-7 days (regional ticket means it’s valid in Helsinki, Espoo and Vantaa: Dipoli is in Espoo, a city next to Helsinki, and the airport is in Vantaa, another neighboring city). With a regional ticket, you can use public transport as much as you want to. (Not taxis, though. :)

You can buy all sorts of tickets, including regional tickets, from the bus. The Helsinki Card is nice, but it doesn’t give you free transport to Espoo and Vantaa.

Lodging at Ropecon

The free lodging (from Friday to Sunday) is included in the convention ticket. You will sleep on the floor, though, so we suggest bringing a camping mattress and a blanket or a sleeping bag. Cold is not likely to be a problem - on the contrary, it's about the hottest period of the summer in Finland. There's sometimes heavy rain, though, so carrying an umbrella is a good idea.

(Free lodging from Thursday to Friday, and from Sunday to Tuesday, is for Ropecon staff only.)

The Radisson Blu Hotel Espoo is located just down the street from Dipoli, mere 300 meters away.

Food

There's a restaurant in Dipoli, a convenience store 200 metres away. Right outside the convention centre there will be three to four fast food stalls, and of course the hotel has a restaurant or three. The convenience store is by far the cheapest option.

Showers and sauna

There will be showers and sauna for the convention quests in Rantasauna. See the Google map showing the locations

• on Friday shower and sauna 8 PM - 11 PM
• on Saturday shower 9 AM - 12 AM
• on Saturday shower and sauna 5 PM - 10 PM
• on Sunday shower 9 AM - 12 AM

Additionally there will be showers after certain programs such as dances, you can ask the exact timetables for those from the Info Desk during the convention.

Buying stuff

The dealers' room in Ropecon is called Kaubamaja. It is located in the Luolamies hall and is open

• on Friday from 3 PM to 6 PM
• on Saturday from 10 AM to 6 PM
• on Sunday from 10 AM to 3 PM

Other tips:

• You can leave stuff at the check stand immediately inside the main entrance of Dipoli. It’s free, though tips are accepted with gratitude.
• There's a free WIFI called Aalto open at Dipoli for all the guests to use.
• Alcohol is banned on the premises outside of the Cantina restaurant. There is also a bar at the hotel. You may partake of your own beverages down at the beach.
• Any questions at the convention centre? The Info Desk is located in the big hall (“Käpyaula”) on the ground floor of Dipoli. Ask them anything, for the Info knows everything!