News

In 2026, you will receive a digital mailbox when you identify in a public authority’s electronic service

04.12.2025 o'clock 13:09

In 2026, official mail will transition to be primarily digital. From the beginning of 2026, when you identify in Sipoo’s My Services or another authority’s electronic service for the first time, you will be given a digital mailbox in Suomi.fi Messages. That is where you will receive official mail from several public authorities. Suomi.fi Messages will replace official paper mail: you will not receive letters about the same matter later.

What this change aims for is to encourage people to start primarily using digital official mail. The use of Suomi.fi Messages saves time for both citizens and the authorities when the messages are sent quickly and securely to the right recipient.

Suomi.fi Messages already has over 2 million users. The service is already suggested for you when you identify in a public authority’s electronic service. From the beginning of 2026, your separate consent is no longer required; instead, you will receive a notification of the activation of Suomi.fi Messages when you identify in the service. After this change, Suomi.fi Messages have more than four million users.

How and for whom will Suomi.fi Messages activate in 2026?

  • fi Messages will activate for you if you are an adult and have not yet activated the service.
  • You will be given a notification of its activation when you use strong identification in a public administration e-service, i.e. use Suomi.fi e-Identification to sign in.
  • Enter your email address upon activation and verify it within one hour. This way, you will always receive an email notification when you receive new mail in Suomi.fi Messages.
  • After you have entered your email address, you can continue to identify normally and move to the e-service you were about to use.
  • Please note that if you are acting on behalf of an organisation or another person,fi Messages will be activated for you personally – not the person or organisation you are acting on behalf of.

If you never use strong identification in a public administration e-service, you will continue to receive official paper mail.

Neither does this change apply to minors nor persons under guardianship or
with a valid continuing power of attorney.

How do I read my Suomi.fi Messages inbox?

  • You can read the official messages received in Suomi.fi Messages in the Suomi.fi mobile application or by logging in to the Suomi.fi Web Service and going to “Messages” there.
  • Identification takes place with online banking codes, a mobile certificate or the electronic certificate on an ID card.
  • You will be sent a notification to your email whenever a new message arrives in Suomi.fi Messages.
  • You will also receive notifications of incoming messages in the Suomi.fi mobile app if you have downloaded the app.

You can activate Suomi.fi Messages at https://suomi.fi/messages or by downloading the Suomi.fi mobile application.

What if I want to keep receiving official messages as paper mail?

Transition to digital official mail does not mean that no one can receive official paper mail.

  • fi Messages will not activate for you if you refrain from using official e-services. This way, you will continue to receive official messages as paper mail.
  • This change does not apply to minors or persons under guardianship.
  • Neither will all official mail be digital, as some public authorities may use other digital channels for electronic communication. Each organisation’s service will make a note of them.

If you do not want to receive official mail in Suomi.fi Messages, you can opt out of digital messages and return to receiving paper mail in the service settings or by contacting the Digital and Population Data Services Agency’s customer service. You can only make this change after the Suomi.fi Messages have been activated in 2026, not in advance.

This option will remain active for six months at a time. If, after six months have passed, you identify again in a public authority’s e-service, Suomi.fi Messages will re-activate.

If you are using the Suomi.fi mobile application, please remember that

  • simply uninstalling the application does not deactivate Suomi.fi Messages.
  • you must always deactivate the service in the Suomi.fi Messages settings.

If you wish, you can always re-activate Suomi.fi Messages by downloading the Suomi.fi mobile application or activating the service at suomi.fi/messages.

Further information

More information on Suomi.fi Messages: https://www.suomi.fi/messages

Further information on Suomi.fi e-Identification: https://www.suomi.fi/instructions-and-support/identification/what-is-suomifi-e-identification

Organisations that use Suomi.fi Messages: https://www.suomi.fi/instructions-and-support/messages/organisations-and-services-using-suomifi-messages

How to stop using Suomi.fi Messages: https://www.suomi.fi/instructions-and-support/messages/use-of-messages/stop-using-messages

 

Last modified 04.12.2025

Opistoblogi

In our podcast serie “Kaikkien opisto” episode 9: Colum (in English)

16.05.2025 o'clock 11:15

Podcast Interview with Colum Mac Oireachtaigh

I had the pleasure of interviewing Colum Mac Oireachtaigh one fine day in April.  Colum means “dove “and Mac Oireachtaigh means “son of the member of the assembly”. Colum teaches English conversation at Sipoon opisto and is also a musician. Little did I know how I would be swept away all over Europe listening to the life of Colum.

Colum, an Irishman, was born in Scotland and lived there for his first seven years, then in Ireland. After that he moved to London and had various jobs there. Colum says he had “itchy feet”. He wanted to see the world, so he learned to play the guitar and harmonium and did some rambling around Europe as a troubadour. Via Italy, France, Holland, Denmark and Sweden to Finland, where he met his wife the first day here.

He troubadoured in the streets of Helsinki in the late 70ties and was taken to the police station for it, as it wasn’t allowed during that time in Finland to play and sing in the streets.

Since then, things have changed a lot in Finland, says Colum. He has seen how Finland has opened up to the world.

How did he start teaching English? Well, we have Martin Gripenberg to thank for it. He was the principal of Sibbo medborgarinstitut and one day he called Colum to ask if he would be interested in giving conversation lessons. After that it snowballed; Colum was asked to teach in Porvoo, Loviisa, in Espoo and Vantaa to name a few. Colum still enjoys teaching and has been doing so since 1974.

Colum is also a musician and tells an interesting story about how he was going to play at a party in Kalkstrand and came to the pier he saw a renowned musician and conductor at the pier when he came in with the boat. He had to play for him and the others, maybe a bit nervous or more so.  How did it all go and who was this famous person? You must listen and find out.

Colum says he is thankful to Finland and that he has had many happy years here. He is thankful for his family and his work here. He describes the feeling of coming home to the archipelago in Sipoo after having played at a concert with a lot of noise and people: “To hear the wind in the trees, to see the stars, to see the moon reflecting in the water. After a long winter it feels like God has remembered us, God has remembered Finland.”

– Theresa –

Last modified 16.05.2025

News

Identification in our e-services to change: Users will be prompted to activate Suomi.fi Messages once they have identified themselves

08.05.2025 o'clock 10:41

As of 12 May 2025, you will be prompted to activate Suomi.fi Messages when you identify yourself with strong identification in the e-service of either Sipoo’s My Services or another authority. The aim of the change is to encourage people to switch over to receiving official mail primarily electronically.

Picture: Digital and population data services agency

The prompt for the activation of Suomi.fi Messages will be displayed to all adults who do not yet have Suomi.fi Messages in use. It will appear when a user uses strong identification in a public administration e-service; that is, uses Suomi.fi e-Identification to identify themselves. An e-service user can activate Messages immediately after identifying themselves. If they wish, they can bypass the activation of Suomi.fi Messages and continue to identifying themselves in the usual manner.

Please note that if you are acting on behalf of a company or another person, the question to activate Suomi.fi Messages applies to messages sent to yourself! When you agree to activate Suomi.fi Messages, messages will therefore be activated for you, not for the person or company you are going to act on behalf of.

The activation of Suomi.fi Messages saves time for both citizens and the authorities when the messages are sent quickly and securely to the right recipient. At the same time, it reduces the costs and environmental impacts related to paper mail.

How will the activation prompt change identification?

The change implemented in spring 2025 will not see Suomi.fi Messages be activated automatically for anyone. Instead, you can decide on the activation of the service yourself.

  • The activation prompt will be displayed to you if you are an adult and you have not yet activated Suomi.fi Messages.
  • You will see the prompt for the activation of Suomi.fi Messages whenever you use strong identification to identify yourself in an public administration e-service with Suomi.fi e-Identification.
  • The activation requires that a user enters their email address and confirms it within an hour. You will be sent a notification to your email each time you have received new mail in Suomi.fi Messages.
  • If you wish, you can skip the activation of Suomi.fi Messages and continue identification in the normal manner. You can also activate Suomi.fi Messages later.

Illustration of how identification in public administration e-services will change in spring 2025:

Picture: Digital and population data services agency

A drawing of an identification process.

How can electronic messages be read?

  • You can read the official messages received in Suomi.fi Messages in the Suomi.fi mobile application or by logging in to the Suomi.fi Web Service and going to “Messages” there.
  • Identification takes place with online banking codes, a mobile certificate or the electronic certificate on an ID card.
  • You will be sent a notification to your email whenever a new message arrives in Suomi.fi Messages. You will also receive notifications of incoming messages in the Suomi.fi mobile app if you have downloaded the app.
  • You can later switch back to receiving paper mail by changing the settings for Suomi.fi Messages. The instructions can be found in the Suomi.fi.

You can activate Suomi.fi Messages at https://suomi.fi/viestit or by downloading the Suomi.fi mobile application.

Further information

More information on Suomi.fi Messages: https://www.suomi.fi/ohjeet-ja-tuki/viestit

Further information on Suomi.fi e-Identification: https://www.suomi.fi/ohjeet-ja-tuki/tunnistus/mika-on-suomifi-tunnistus

What is Suomi.fi Messages?

Suomi.fi Messages is a secure electronic mailbox that replaces official paper mail. The service is used by several authorities, and its use is constantly increasing. Incoming messages can be read using the Suomi.fi mobile application or by logging in to the Suomi.fi Web Service at https://suomi.fi. This way, you can read incoming mail wherever you are.

Notifications of incoming messages are sent to the email address that you have provided to the service. Users of the Suomi.fi mobile application will also receive notifications directly through the app.

You can access Suomi.fi Messages by downloading the Suomi.fi mobile application or by logging in at https://suomi.fi/messages. Identification takes place with online banking codes, a mobile certificate or the electronic certificate on an ID card. By activating Suomi.fi Messages, you will also receive mail from various authorities electronically.

More information on Suomi.fi Messages: https://www.suomi.fi/ohjeet-ja-tuki/viestit

What does the transition to digital communication with authorities mean?

Finland will gradually move towards electronic communications with the authorities. From the beginning of 2026, official mail will chiefly be delivered digitally to everyone who uses electronic services. Persons of adult age who log into the authorities’ electronic e-services can use Suomi.fi Messages in connection with Suomi.fi e-Identification without separate consent, unless the service is already in use.

Those who cannot use digital services will continue to receive official mail on paper, unless they choose otherwise. A person can also cancel the reception of electronic messages with just a notification, after which mail will be sent by paper mail once again. If a person who has selected paper mail continues to use the e-services, an electronic mailbox will be created again for them after the deadline.

The transition to digital communication will bring significant benefits. This will save tens of millions of euros per year for society and make everyday life easier for citizens. Official mail will be available faster than before, can be found in one place and always be available.

Read more: https://dvv.fi/digi-ensin-hanke

 

Last modified 08.05.2025

News

The Sipoonkorpi Hop-On Hop-Off bus now runs to Sipoonkorpi National Park as part of the HSL traffic

23.04.2025 o'clock 14:07

In response to travelers’ wishes, the Hop-On Hop-Off bus will now be part of the HSL service. Currently in its fifth year, the service will be operated as HSL U line services. The Hop-On Hop-Off bus will be accessible with standard HSL tickets, and the timetables are available on the HSL route map starting 29 April 2025.

Picture: City of Vantaa, Hele Teutari

The Sipoonkorpi Hop-On Hop-Off bus operates on summer weekends from 10 May to 5 October 2025. The bus will run from Tikkurila Travel Centre to Nikkilä along the west side of Sipoonkorpi and to Mellunmäki metro station along the east side. There are 15 stops along the route, including a new stop at Fazerintie, a short distance from the Fazer Experience Visitor Centre.

The bus service will improve access to Sipoonkorpi National Park and encourage visitors to use public transport. It also facilitates one-way hikes in Sipoonkorpi National Park and distributes visits more widely throughout the National Park, thus preventing overcrowding in its most popular destinations.

The line is a joint effort of two municipalities

The Sipoonkorpi Hop-On Hop-Off bus route runs from Tikkurila via Koivukylä station and Kuusijärvi to Nikkilä in Sipoo. From Nikkilä, the bus runs via Sipoo Old Church, Sipoonjoki Traditional sauna and Korvenportti, and via Fazer Experience Visitor Centre to Mellunmäki metro station.

“We are delighted that the long-term work to connect the bus to the HSL service is completed, making travel to Sipoonkorpi National Park even smoother. We encourage everyone to take a trip to Sipoonkorpi National Park to enjoy nature and grill some snacks by the campfires. Many other destinations along the route can now also be easily visited by the Hop-On Hop-Off bus,” says Katri Roivainen, Head of Economic Development in Sipoo.

“Kuusijärvi outdoor recreation area and Sipoonkorpi National Park belong to the favorite destinations of Vantaa residents, and during the busiest times the capacity of the Kuusijärvi parking lot, even with extended capacity, is simply not sufficient. The Sipoonkorpi Hop-On Hop-Off bus offers a good alternative to reach nature without a private car or the need for parking. The bus also enables a more varied exploration of Sipoonkorpi, as it allows you to start your hike from multiple spots, or to finish it with sweet treats at Vaarala in Vantaa. This year, the bus will run right next to the Fazer Experience Visitor Centre,” says Mari Virtanen, Vantaa’s tourism planner.

Reaching the national park by low-floor bus

Transport company Taksikuljetus Harri Vuolle Oy won the tender, and the route will again be operated with a low-floor bus. Hence, the bus is accessible with a stroller, and you can also take your bicycle on board. Dogs are also welcome on board.

Regular HSL bus tickets are valid on the bus and a daily ticket allows you to visit several destinations along the route. Sipoonkorpi National Park is situated within zones B, C and D. You can buy your ticket conveniently on the HSL app or use your HSL card. Single and daily tickets can also be purchased at HSL ticket machines and at sales points, such as the R-kiosks and S-group stores. In Sipoo, tickets can also be bought from library information points. Please note that a separate service fee may be charged at different sales points. A single BCD-zones ticket for adults costs €4.40 and a day ticket €10. Tickets for concessionary groups are valid on the route as normal.

HSL bus route 712 also continues operating

HSL bus route 712 will continue to operate this year. The service will start on 28 April 2025 and will run hourly on weekends between Tikkurila and Kuusijärvi. The HSL bus line runs to Kuusijärvi via Hakunila.

Timetable and route map for Sipoonkorpi Hop-On Hop-Off-bus

www.sipoo.fi/en/hoponhopoff
www.vantaa.fi/fi/sipoonkorpi-hop-hop

The timetable will be published in HSL’s route guide on 29.4.2025.

 

Last modified 23.04.2025

News

Ingman Solbacka’s swimming pool under renovation 19.5.2025-31.8.2025.

28.03.2025 o'clock 14:10

Ingman Solbacka, Massbyntie 101, 01150 Söderkulla, will be under renovation from May 19, 2025, to August 31, 2025.
This will affect the courses at Sipoon Opisto as follows:
Spring 2025 continuation courses will be shortened by two weeks, meaning there will be no classes during weeks 21 and 22.
August water activities at Solbacka pool (Söderkulla pool) will be canceled entirely.
The autumn semester will start normally in week 37.

Ingman Solbacka

Last modified 31.03.2025

News

Ferry Service in Sipoo as of 11.7.

16.07.2024 o'clock 12:44

The Southwest Finland Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment announced on 10.7. that the contract for the Porvoo and Sipoo ferry route has been terminated due to the service provider’s difficulties in fulfilling their duties. On the Sipoo route, the service will be operated by Sibbo Skärgårdstrafik as of 11.7.2024. Orders can be made by phone at 040 580 3939. Routes and timetables remain the same as previously with Pörtö Line. The boat can accommodate up to 12 people at a time and departs from Kalkkiranta and will travel the Norrkullalandet and Gumbostrand routes.

It is currently not possible to reach the Söderskär’s lighthouse. FRS Finland operates the routes to Kaunissaari Island, with the departure piers are located in Aurinkolahti and Kalkkiranta. More information on FRS Finland’s routes to Kaunissaari Island can be found here.

Picture: Paula Ropponen

Last modified 05.05.2025

News

Hop-On Hop-Off bus to run to Sipoonkorpi National Park again this summer 

13.05.2024 o'clock 14:01

This summer, Sipoonkorpi National Park will once again be easily and ecologically accessible with the Sipoonkorpi Hop-On Hop-Off bus. The bus will run on Saturdays and Sundays during the summer season, just like last summer. A HSL bus route will further add to the accessibility of the area.

The Sipoonkorpi Hop-On Hop-Off bus will run again at summer weekends between 18 May and 13 October 2024. The route of the bus will otherwise be the same as in 2023, but instead of the Mellunmäki metro station, the last stop in Helsinki will be the Itäkeskus metro station. In addition, the bus stops in Helsinki will include the Puotila metro station and Fallbacka.

Picture: City of Vantaa, Hele Teutari

The bus service will make Sipoonkorpi National Park easily accessible and encourage visitors to use public transport. The bus service will also improve the parking situation near the national park.

The route is a joint effort by three municipalities

The Hop-On Hop-Off bus route will run from Tikkurila through the Koivukylä station and Kuusijärvi to Nikkilä, Sipoo. From there, the bus will travel through Sipoo Old Church, Sipoonjoki smoke sauna and Korvenportti to the Itäkeskus metro station. The final stops of the route are Tikkurila, Nikkilä and Mellunmäki. This summer, the route will have 17 stops whereas last year there were only 15.

“The route has been renewed and the service will be available later into the autumn. We hope that the new stops will make more and more people come to Sipoonkorpi National Park to enjoy nature and grill at the campfire sites. There are also many other destinations along the route that can be easily explored by the Hop-On Hop-Off bus,” says Katri Roivainen, Head of Economic Development at Sipoo.

The bus service is a joint effort of the municipality of Sipoo and the cities of Vantaa and Helsinki.

“We want to help further improve the accessibility of Sipoonkorpi National Park. Having the final stop of the bus route in Itäkeskus in the vicinity of the metro station provides Helsinki residents and tourists with an easy and ecological connection to the national park,” says Nina Vesterinen, Tourism Director at the City of Helsinki.

Five-euro day ticket to the national park

Ventoniemi Oy won the competitive tendering for the route, and the route will no longer be driven using a low-floor bus like it was in 2022–2023. Dogs are also welcome on board.

The price of a day ticket is EUR 5, and a one-way single ticket costs EUR 3. Children under the age of 7 travel for free. Tickets are bought from the driver and paid with either cash or card. Having the exact change is preferred so that people can get on the bus as smoothly as possible.

HSL bus to also continue running

The HSL bus line 712 will continue its operations this year. During the summer season, from 4 May to 29 October 2024, the bus will run every hour at the weekends between Tikkurila and Kuusijärvi. The HSL bus line will run to Kuusijärvi via Hakunila A new terminus will be introduced at the Kuusijärvi car park. The Laurintie and Vanha Porvoontie route section will no longer be included in the route. Regular HSL tickets are accepted as tickets.

“Next summer, Vantaa residents will be able to reach the Kuusijärvi beach ecologically using two bus connections. When you use a bus to reach your destination, especially at the weekend, there will be no problems with parking,” says Anniina Laitala, who coordinates the Kuusijärvi site.

Route grew in popularity last year

The popularity of the Sipoonkorpi Hop-On Hop-Off bus grew again last summer. During the time the bus route was available, from 13 May 2023 to 1 October 2023, a total of nearly 1,100 trips were taken. Over the entire operating period, the increase was 26 per cent compared to 2022.

The most popular months for travel were May–August, when the number of trips taken increased by a whopping 57 per cent compared to the previous year. On the other hand, September was quieter than the previous year and the number of trips decreased by 21 per cent from 2022.

Last year, the majority of passengers using the Sipoonkorpi Hop-On Hop-Off bus came on board the bus at the Mellunmäki metro station. The second most popular stop was located in Tikkurila. As in 2022, the most popular stops in Sipoonkorpi were the Korvenportti and Bakunkärri stops.

The most popular stops on the HSL line 712 were the bus route terminuses at Tikkurilan matkakeskus (Tikkurila Travel Centre) and the Kuusijärvi parking area. A total of 4,600 trips were made during the operating period. The most popular months for travel were July, September, and October, each with around 1,100 trips completed.

“We hope that cooperation for the development of public transport connections in Kuusijärvi can be continued in the future. The City of Vantaa is developing the area with the goal of taking into account its environmental values. Good and low-emission transport connections are an essential part of this work,” says Anniina Laitala.

Timetable and route map of Sipoonkorpi Hop-On Hop-Off bus

www.sipoo.fi/en/hoponhopoff
www.vantaa.fi/fi/sipoonkorpi-hop-hop

The route will soon be added to the HSL Journey Planner.

 

Last modified 13.05.2024

News

Park Meals 2024

08.05.2024 o'clock 15:01

Park meals during school summer holidays in Nikkilä and Söderkulla June 3rd – August 2nd, 2024

The Municipality of Sipoo organizes park meals this summer during the school holidays in Nikkilä in the yard of the Wessman House and in Söderkulla in the yard of the Taasjärvi village cottage.

This summer park meals are organized from June 3rd to August 2nd on weekdays from 10 am to 1 pm. Food is distributed from 11.30 am to 12 noon.

The park meals comprise a free soup or casserole lunch every weekday for children and young people under the age of 18 living in Sipoo. You’ll need your own cutlery. In the summer of 2024, the park meals will be accompanied by a variety of social programmes.

The menus and social programme schedules will be updated on the park meal website: www.sipoo.fi/puistoruokailu.

Additional information for the media:

Employment Manager Henna Piilo, tel. 040 4808529, henna.piilo@sipoo.fi

Employment Coordinator Johanna Ainasoja, tel. 0401528922, johanna.ainasoja@sipoo.fi

Last modified 08.05.2024

News

Hop-On Hop-Off bus runs to Sipoonkorpi National Park again this summer

02.05.2023 o'clock 14:00

This summer, Sipoonkorpi National Park will once again be easily and ecologically accessible with the Sipoonkorpi Hop-On Hop-Off bus. The bus will run on Saturdays and Sundays during the summer season, and more stops have been added. A new HSL bus route will further add to the accessibility of the area.

Picture: Hele Teutari / Vantaan kaupunki

The Sipoonkorpi Hop-On Hop-Off bus will run again on summer weekends between 13 May and 1 October 2023. The route has been revised based on last season’s passenger numbers and customer feedback.

The bus service makes Sipoonkorpi National Park easily accessible and encourages visitors to use public transport. The bus service also eases the parking situation near the national park.

The route is a joint effort by three municipalities

The Hop-On Hop-Off bus route runs from Tikkurila through Koivukylä station and Kuusijärvi to Nikkilä, Sipoo. From there, the bus travels through Sipoo Old Church, Sipoonjoki smoke sauna and Korvenportti to Mellunmäki metro station. The final stops of the route are Tikkurila, Nikkilä and Mellunmäki. This summer, the route has 15 stops whereas last year there were only 10.

“We hope that the new stops will help more people visit Sipoonkorpi National Park, where they can spend the whole day enjoying nature and having a nice barbeque at our campfire sites,” says Katri Roivainen, Head of Economic Development in Sipoo.

Picture: Suvi Suovaara

Cafe cooking on a campfire. A man sits next to the campfire.

This year, the City of Helsinki will also hop on board the route and join the Municipality of Sipoo and the City of Vantaa.

“We want to help further improve the accessibility of Sipoonkorpi National Park. This summer, the final stop of the bus route is Mellunmäki, which is also the terminus stop of the Helsinki Metro. This will provide Helsinki residents and visitors an easy and ecological access to the national park,” says Nina Vesterinen, Tourism Director at the City of Helsinki.

Five-euro day ticket to the national park

The Hop-On Hop-Off bus route is operated by a low-floor bus. Dogs are also welcome on board. The price of a day ticket is €5, and a one-way single ticket costs €3. Children under the age of 7 travel for free. The payment is made to the driver in cash or card.

The route is operated by the same transport company as last year, Taksikuljetus Oy.

New HSL bus line to complement transport connections

The City of Vantaa is also improving the transport connections to Kuusijärvi with the new Helsinki Region Transport (HSL) bus line 712. During the summer season 2023, the new bus line will run between Tikkurila and Kuusijärvi hourly at weekends. The HSL bus line will run to Kuusijärvi via Hakunila and will accept regular HSL tickets.

“Next summer, Vantaa residents will be able to reach the Kuusijärvi beach ecologically with up to two bus connections. The ‘beach bus’ means guaranteed access to the beach without the challenges of parking,” says Anniina Laitala, Coordinator of the Kuusijärvi development project.

Sipoonkorpi Hop-On Hop-Off bus schedule and route map

www.sipoo.fi/en/hoponhopoff

https://www.vantaa.fi/en/sipoonkorpi-hop-hop

The route will soon be added to the HSL Journey Planner.

Picture: Suvi Suovaara

A pond in a forest.

Last modified 05.05.2023