Tikkurila is the main commercial and administrative centre of Vantaa, and the practical hub for visitors. The railway station is a stop on the main line connecting Helsinki Airport to the city centre, making it the easiest entry point into Vantaa. A large shopping centre, the Dixi, sits directly above the station, and the surrounding streets have the standard assortment of Finnish urban amenities: pharmacies, banks, cafes, and the kind of functional city services that suggest a place that works even if it doesn't aspire to charm.
From Tikkurila it is a short walk to Heureka, the science centre, and a straightforward bus or bike ride to the Church of St. Lawrence. Most of Vantaa's accommodation is clustered in this area, mainly oriented toward business travellers and airport transit.