Top up your HSL card online and save time and money

We interviewed Saara Keto, an active user of public transport. Saara prefers to buy her tickets on the HSL card, which she nowadays tops up in the HSL Ticket Store. ”In the Ticket Store, you can top up your HSL card with value or season tickets, whatever you need. The service is really easy to use,” Saara says.

Saara sits on the bus holding an HSL card.

You don’t need a car to travel around Helsinki

Saara Keto, who turns 74 in January, has lived her entire life in Helsinki and has never had a driver’s license. ”I’m accustomed to traveling by public transport all year round,” Saara says. Saara still takes the bus almost every day. She also regularly uses the light rail and inner-city trams when going to her hobbies, church, or running errands.

Saara using the Journey Planner in the HSL app.

Saara uses both the HSL card and the HSL app

As Saara travels regularly, she has a season ticket that is always valid. She is over 70 and can therefore purchase season tickets at a discounted price. Every now then, Saara buys her season ticket via the HSL app but, since she uses a walking stick, she finds it easier to show her HSL card when boarding a bus than to display the ticket on her smartphone. However, Saara does use the Journey Planner in the HSL app when traveling. Although Saara knows all the familiar bus routes by heart, the Journey Planner guides her to less familiar places and informs her of any service disruptions.

Saara using a computer while holding an HSL card.

Topping up your HSL card online is easy

Saara used to top up her HSL card at R-kiosks and S Group stores and has occasionally visited HSL’s service point at Mall of Tripla. However, nowadays Saara is happy to use the HSL Ticket Store, and has even taught her spouse how to use it. HSL Ticket Store is an online service that you can use on your phone, tablet or computer. It does not cost anything to top up HSL cards online, so Saara saves both the service fee and the time spent on traveling when using the Ticket Store. Saara always uses the Ticket Store on her own smartphone, but was also impressed by how easy it was to use the service even on a computer.

Good to know about HSL Ticket Store

  • You can access the Ticket Store at https://kauppa.hsl.fi/en
  • You can use the Ticket Store on any device with internet access: smartphones, computers or tablets.
  • The service allows you to top up your own or someone else’s HSL card with season tickets and value.
  • Topping up HSL cards online is free.
  • In order to log in to the service, you must have a functioning email address.
  • To top up your own HSL card, you need your online banking credentials, a mobile certificate or an ID card with a citizen certificate for strong authentication.
  • If you wish to top up someone else’s HSL card, you need the number of their card. You can find the number on the back of the card.