​​​Frequently asked questions concerning guided visits

Booking and visiting hours​

Editing booking information

Cancelling a guided tour

Duration of the guided tour

Arriving at the Parliament Building

Security check

Accessibility

Photography during the guided tour

Visits after office hours

Food and lunch at the Parliament Building​​​​

​​​​​​Booking and visiting hours for a guided tour at the Parliament Building

Booking 

Group bookings are made through an electronic booking service that displays the available dates and times in real time. To make a booking, select an available date and time and fill in the information in the form that opens. A confirmation will be sent to the email address you provide. 

The public guided tours are pre-scheduled and listed. A link to the form will open if there are still available slots for the tour in question. You must fill in the form with the required information. A confirmation will be sent to the email address you provide. 

Both group and public guided tours are available in Finnish, Swedish and English. 

What does my booked visiting time mean?

The time in your confirmation email refers to the time you should arrive at the public entrance (entrance B) at the northern end of the Parliament Building. From there, you will proceed to the security check. You are not allowed to wait inside for admission. The guided tour commences immediately after the security check. For example, if your group’s admission time is 11.15 a.m., the door at entrance B will be opened for you at 11.15 a.m. After that, you will proceed to the security check.

Can the group size be changed?

If the number of people in your group changes, please contact the guide team: oppaat(at)eduskunta.fi. We will assess whether we can accommodate the change on a case-by-case basis. 

How do I book a guided tour for more than 25 people?

You can make a booking for up to 100 people at a time. 

The booking service automatically searches for the required number of consecutive security check and tour times for the given number of people. The group's tours start at successive times every 15 minutes. 

How much does a guided tour cost?

The guided tours at the Parliament Building are free of charge.

Are guided tours available in the summer?

Tours are not held during times when the Parliament is not in session. For this reason, guided tours are not held between Midsummer and the end of August or during the Christmas break. 

What should I do if I cannot find my booking confirmation?

Please check your spam email folder. If you cannot find the confirmation message, please contact the guide team by sending a message to oppaat(at)parliament.fi. Make sure to include your booking time in the message. ​

​​​Editing booking information

The contact person for the booking has changed. How do I change the contact person’s information?

The booking confirmation message has a link that allows you to edit the booking information up to five days before the tour date. After the five-day deadline has passed, please send a notification about the change to the guide team via oppaat(at)parliament.fi. 

We booked a guided tour in Finnish, but our group will now have some English-speaking participants. How can I change the language for the guided tour?

Only one language is used to give the tour. If you want to change the language for your guided tour, please email oppaat(at)eduskunta.fi at least one week before the tour date.

Do I need to provide the names of the participants?

You do not need to provide the names of the participants. Instead, the contact person who accompanies the group is responsible for the group, and the contact person’s information must be correct and up to date. If the person who makes the booking will not attend the guided tour, please provide the name and contact details of the contact person (teacher, instructor, group leader etc.) accompanying the group in the booking.​

Cancelling a guided tour

How can I cancel a reservation?

Click “Cancel reservation” in the confirmation email you received to cancel the reservation. 

​​​Duration of the guided tour

How long does the guided tour last?

Please reserve approximately one hour for the entire visit. The first 15 minutes of the visit are reserved for the security check, and the tour takes approximately 45 minutes.

​​Arriving at the Parliament Building

Our group will arrive at the Parliament Building on our own bus. Where can the group exit the bus?

There are no parking spaces in front of the Parliament Building. There is a bus stop at the southern end of the Parliament Building on the Pohjoinen Rautatienkatu.

Which entrance should we use to enter the Parliament Building?

Public entrance is through entrance B at the northern end of the Parliament Building on the Mannerheimintie side. For a map of the Parliament Building’s environment and entrances, check the Visiting Parliament ​​​website. There are signposts in front of the Parliament Building.​

​​​Security check

Should I bring my ID card?

Visitors who are 18 or older may be required to present proof of identity when they visit the Parliament Building. You can use a driver’s licence as a proof of identity, for example. 

I have a pacemaker or other metal in my body. What should I do at the security check?

Please mention this to the security check personnel.  

​​Accessibility

Are there lifts available for people with reduced mobility?

The tour involves the climbing of many stairs. There are lifts that people with reduced mobility can use. It is extremely important that accessibility needs are stated when booking the tour, so that the guide can take this into account when planning the route of the tour. 

How can I provide information on the special needs of our group members?

Information on special needs must be provided on the reservation form when making the reservation. If persons with restricted mobility join your group later, make sure to update your booking by using the link in the booking confirmation message.

Should people with reduced mobility be accompanied by a personal assistant?

We recommend that people with reduced mobility are accompanied by a personal assistant who can help them during the tour. There is only a limited number of Parliament employees available for helping visitors with reduced mobility.  ​​

​​​Meeting a Member of Parliament

We would like to meet a Member of Parliament during our visit. What should I do?

The Parliament guide services do not arrange meetings with Members of Parliament. To arrange a meeting, please directly contact your Member of Parliament, their assistant or the parliamentary group office. You can find the contact details of MPs​ and assistants here. If you arrange a meeting during a tour, please include this information in the booking’s “Additional Information” section. Meetings should be scheduled after the guided tour.​

​​​​Photography during the guided tour

Can we take photos during the tour?

It is forbidden to take photos at the public entrance and security check. You are free to take photos in the Parliament Building during the tour. When photographing persons, they must be asked for permission. We also ask you to take into account other people who are moving around and working in the Parliament Building. If you want to film the entire guided tour, you must arrange the filming in advance by sending an email to the following address: oppaat(at)parliament.fi.

Visits after office hours

Our visit to the Parliament Building starts after 4 p.m. Who can I contact for further information concerning our visit?

Guided tours are only organised during office hours (9 a.m. to 3.30 p.m.). If you are coming to visit after 4 p.m., please directly contact the party responsible for organising your visit: the Member of Parliament’s personal assistant, the parliamentary group office or the Member of Parliament.

​​Food and lunch at the Parliament Building

Can I bring a bottle of water or some snacks to the Parliament Building?

No snacks, drinking bottles or large bags are allowed on the guided tour. Such items should be left in the coat rack or lockable cabinets for the duration of the visit. If your group members need to carry snacks due to a medical reason, for example, you can enter the information in the “Additional information” section of the booking and notify the guide.

Can our group have lunch or coffee at the Parliament Building?

The restaurant and cafeteria at the Parliament Building are not open to the public.