A numerical study for three-dimensional laminar flow in the entrance region of helical tubes connected with straight ones is carried out to investigate the effects of Reynolds number, pitch and curvature ratio on the oscillation periods of the flow. The fully elliptic governing equations were solved by means of a finite volume method. The fully developed laminar flow boundary condition was applied at the straight tube inlet. This results cover a curvature ratio range of 1/10${sim}$1/320, a pitch range of 0.0${sim}$3.2, and a Reynolds number range of 62.5${sim}$2000. A comparison is made with previous experimental correlations and numerical data. The developments of velocity, local and average friction factors are discussed. The average friction factors are oscillatory in the entrance region of helical pipes. It has been found that the angle required for the flow to be similarly developed is most affected by the curvature ratio. The pitch and Reynolds number do not have any significant effect on the angle. The characteristic angle ${phi}_c(={phi}/sqrt{delta})$, or the characteristic length to diameter ratio $s_c(=lsqrt{delta} cos(atan{lambda})/d)$, can be useful to represent the development of flow in helical tubes. As the pitch increases and as the curvature ratio and Reynolds number decrease, the amplitude and the number of flow oscillations along the main streamwise direction decrease.