Finland Travel Guide: Trip Planner and Travel Advice
Read our comprehensive online guide to Finland, including information on visa, how to get there, and staying safe whilst there:
Visas and Passports
Generally, citizens of most Western countries do not need visas to travel to Finland (but always check before you travel); a valid passport will suffice. Finland is also a member of the Schengen countries. The Nordic countries only stamp you in once for a three-month tourist stay, so if you arrive via, say, Sweden, you won’t need to be stamped at the Finnish border.
It is difficult for non-EU citizens to work in Finland; if you want to work, contact a Finnish Embassy or Consulate outside Finland well before you go. An employer’s letter is usually needed in advance of the work permit being granted.
Regulations can change, so always check the latest situation before you travel.
Embassies and Consulates
Helsinki has embassies for most large European nations. The following is a list of English-speaking embassies in the capital:
Canada
Pohjoisesplanadi 25B
(tel: 228 530; www.canadainternational.gc.ca)
Ireland
Erottajankatu 7A
(tel: 682 4240; www.dfa.ie/irish-embassy/finland)
UK
Itäinen Puistotie 17
(tel: 2286 5100; www.gov.uk/government/world/finland)
US
Itäinen Puistotie 14B
(tel: 616 250; https://fi.usembassy.gov)
Australia has a consular office at Museokatu 25B (tel: 4777 6640), but its nearest embassy is in Sweden.
Transport
Getting There
By Air
Finnair is the national carrier of Finland and operates international and national routes. Both Finnair and British Airways connect London and Helsinki with daily flights. Finnair (and many other airlines, including Lufthansa, SAS and KLM) fly direct between Helsinki and most European capitals. Finnair also links with several North American cities, including New York. You may be able to find value-for-money package fares and charter flights from New York or London, but they are rare; try the internet sites of the airlines for offers.
Several budget airlines fly to Finland. Ryanair flies seasonally between Tampere and London Stansted. Norwegian Air flies year-round from Helsinki to numerous European countries, including Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, the UK and other parts of Scandinavia. It also has some international routes from Ivalo, Kittila, Oulu and Rovaniemi.
From Helsinki, Finnair, Norwegian and SAS fly numerous domestic routes to 16 Finnish towns and cities, including several to north Finland airports, and have cross-country flights between some of them.
By Sea
You can travel to Finland by boat from Sweden, Estonia, Poland and Germany. Viking Line and Tallink-Silja Line run daily routes between Stockholm and Helsinki. These ferries are luxurious with restaurants, saunas, swimming pools, tax-free shops and children’s playrooms. The all-night discos on these ships are legendary, often opening at 8pm and continuing to play loud dance music (but not necessarily serve alcohol all night) until the ship arrives at its eventual destination. There are several links from Germany to Finland: Finnlines sails daily from Helsinki to Travemünde, and from Helsinki to Rostock twice weekly. Finnlines also runs a route from Helsinki to Gdynia in Poland.
There are plenty of services to choose from for a trip between Helsinki and Tallinn. Tallink-Silja Line makes the trip daily in two hours. Viking Line has a slightly slower but more frequent service. In summer, Linda Line operates small high-speed crafts, which make the trip in just 1.5 hours.
It’s less expensive to travel by ferry from Stockholm to Turku or Naantali in western Finland and then overland to Helsinki rather than by direct ship to Helsinki. Viking provides very cheap bus tickets for the overland trip; the ferry ticket is also cheaper as the voyage is shorter. You can also travel to Finland’s Åland Islands by boat from Stockholm, Grisslehamn (with Eckerö Linjen) and Kapellskar in Sweden; or from Turku – Viking and Tallink-Silja Line have daily services to Mariehamn. Also, Vaasanlaivat operates boats between Vaasa and Umeå.
Eckerö Linjen
Tel: 018-28 030
Finnlines
Tel: 010-343 4500
Linda Line
Tel: 0600-066 8970
Tallink-Silja Line
Tel: 0600-15700
Vaasanlaivat
Tel: 0207-716 810
Viking Line
Tel: 0600-41577
Sailing around the Baltic
Visas are usually required for travel to Russia – most Finnish travel agents can organise these for non-Finns, but be sure to allow at least one week for processing. Visa-free visits are possible if passengers arrive by ship, stay in Russia for less than 72 hours, and take the ship’s organised excursion bus into the city. Always check visa requirements with your travel agent and book at least several weeks in advance.
Most Western nationalities may enter Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania without a visa, and day trips to Tallinn (Estonia) are extremely popular and recommended. There may be more than 20 departures on an average summer day, and discounts are not unusual. Look especially at the front page of the main Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat, which frequently advertises such discounts, especially in the warmer months. Tickets are available at the ferry terminals in Helsinki, but you will usually find better rates and discounts online.
Kristina Cruises
Tel: 05-21144
Offers a four-day summer St Petersburg trip, with lodging on board and guides for the city. The cruise includes a group visa for EU citizens, but once in St Petersburg passengers must remain with the guided tours. For independent travel you must produce your own visa.
St Peter Line
Tel: 09-6187 2000, 050-576 2818
The Princess Anastasia and the Princess Maria sail between Helsinki and St Petersburg, the former sailing a longer route via Stockholm and Tallinn.
Voyages Jules Verne
Tel: 0845-166 7003 (from the UK)
By Rail
It’s a long haul to Finland from just about any other country by rail, because you inevitably finish the long rail trip north with a long ferry journey from either Germany or Sweden to Helsinki. From Britain, the fastest route is to take the Eurostar to Brussels; then the high-speed train to Cologne; then the sleeper train to Copenhagen; then the X2000 train to Stockholm; then the boat or boat and train to Helsinki. Total travel time is about 48 hours. Rail travel to the far north of Finland requires completion by bus as Finnish rail lines only run as far as Rovaniemi, Kemijärvi and Kolari.
Getting Around
On Arrival
Finland’s main international airport, Helsinki-Vantaa, is connected by Finnair bus (€6.30) and local bus (€4.50) to Helsinki. Travel time is approximately 35 minutes. The Finnair bus stops at many of the major hotels on the way from the airport to the city centre, but picks up only at the central railway station and the Hesperia Park bus stop on the reverse route. There is also a ‘shared’ taxi stand at the airport. Expect to pay around €50 for a taxi to any destination in the city centre.
By Air
Finnair, SAS and Norwegian Air operate domestic flight services. Fares are relatively inexpensive, and in the summertime they can drop tremendously. It is a good idea to fly if, for example, you want to get to Lapland from the south but don’t want to spend days driving there, or taking the overnight train.
By Rail
The Finnish state-owned railway company, Valtion Rautatie (VR), operates an excellent network of trains throughout much of the country. Most trains are very comfortable, punctual and speedy; particularly impressive are the 220km/h (137mph) Pendolino trains running from Helsinki to Oulu, Kuopio, Kajaani and Joensuu. The largest selection of train services is in the southern part of the country, with superb ties between Helsinki and Karelia, the lake region and the southern coast. Further north, direct connections are a bit more spartan, sometimes requiring at least one change of trains; if you are travelling to Vaasa from Helsinki, for example, you will need to make a connection in Seinäjoki.
Though few areas of Lapland have been laid with railway tracks – in part to preserve the unspoilt nature of its Arctic wilderness – there is a direct overnight connection between Helsinki and Rovaniemi. Most night trains also have a car-carrying service, so you can take your vehicle with you. Solid bus connections in the far north make up for the lack of trains.
In late 2010, a high-speed direct Allegro train service was launched, linking Helsinki and St Petersburg. The current duration of the journey is approximately 3.5 hours, with four departures per day. Buy tickets from the station or the VR website, or telephone 0600-41 905. You will need your passport and a visa to travel; the latter will take at least a week to arrange.
Eurail Passes (for non-European visitors) and InterRail Passes (for European visitors) can be used on the Finnish railway system: seat reservations are recommended for busy times. For information on special offers, group discounts and discounts for rail/ferry journeys, see the VR website.
Finnish Railways (VR)
Vilhonkatu 13, 00101 Helsinki
Tel: 0600-41 902
By Boat
If there is one aspect of topography that defines Finland’s great outdoors, it is the body of water known as the lake. The country has around 188,000 of them, from tiny ponds to massive, sea-sized reservoirs. Throughout the year, the lake is a focal point for transport for Finns – by ski or skidoo when frozen over in wintertime, or by ferry, passenger boat or canoe in the summer. Ferries and passenger boats in Finland also play a large role where international destinations are concerned (see pagefor more information, click here). From June to August there are regular boat services along Finland’s waterways and – naturally – the Lake region is the best point of departure for such exploration of the country.
There are several Lakeland ferry routes particularly worth pursuing, including the Silverline (from Tampere to Hämeenlinna) and the Poet’s Way (from Tampere to Virrat). Further east are numerous tours along the country’s largest lake, Saimaa, with daily departures from Lappeenranta, Kuopio, Savonlinna and Punkaharju; especially nostalgic are the elegant old steamships, still powered by burning birch logs.
Canoeing is another, slightly more leisurely way, to explore Finnish waters, especially in the Lake Päijänne region. There are great canoeing experiences to be had around Nurmes, while trips along the Saramojoki River from the village of Saramo are good for beginner and intermediate-level canoeists. Lieksa is another ideal departure point for canoe trips, with routes beginning either at Jonkeri or Aittokoski. Otherwise, in Nurmijärvi, try the fairly leisurely paddling route that follows the Lieksajoki to Pankasaari. Many other operators run trips on the lakes; for more information, contact the central or regional tourist boards (see pagefor more information, click here).
In the harbour capital of Helsinki, boats are generally an important mode of transportation for leisure-time activities only – especially exploring the islands around the perimeter of the city. Helsinki’s only real commuter island is Suomenlinna, with ferries travelling back and forth one to four times every hour (schedule depends on season). Most of these ferries are part of the public transport network of Helsinki. Other Helsinki islands closer to the coast are connected by road.
Päijänne Cruises Hildén
Tel: 014-263 447
www.paijanne-risteilythilden.fi
Roll Risteilyt
Tel: 017-266 2466
Saimaan Laivamatkat
Tel: 015-250 250
Silverline and Poet’s Way
Tel: 03-212 3889
By Bus and Coach
Finland is greatly dependent on buses for transporting the bulk of its passenger traffic. There are coach services on 90 percent of Finland’s public roads (40,000 long-distance departures a day), and these also cover the areas that trains don’t, particularly in the north and in smaller areas throughout the country where rail coverage is erratic. The head office for long-distance bus traffic is Matkahuolto, Lauttasaarentie 8, 00200 Helsinki, tel: 020-710 5000. Timetable enquires can be made at the National Timetable Service, tel: 020-04000 (€1.99per minute plus local telephone charges) or by checking the website.
There is no penalty for buying a ticket on the coach, but you cannot get group discounts (for three adults or more on trips over 80km/50 miles) from the coach ticket-seller. Accompanied children under four travel free; those aged between four and 12 receive a 50 percent discount; those aged between 12 and 16 receive a 30 percent discount (proof of age required).
Visitors can reserve long-distance coach seats (for a small fee) by calling Matkahuolto or visiting the main bus station in the Kamppi shopping centre at the top of Simonkatu in Helsinki.
Driving
Finland’s roads are not too clogged with traffic, although they do get very busy between the capital and the countryside on Fridays and Sundays during the summer. There are few multi-lane motorways. Most are two-lane only.
Pay close attention to road signs showing elk and reindeer zones. These animals really do wander onto the roads in Finland and collisions with them can be very serious. Use caution at all hours, but especially at dusk when elk are most active. Snow tyres are legally required from December to February.
Foreign cars entering Finland should have a sticker on the back demarcating the country in which they are registered. In most cases, your own insurance with a green card will suffice in Finland, but check ahead to be sure. If you are driving a foreign car and are involved in an accident, contact the Finnish Motor Insurers’ Centre.
For more information about driving in Finland contact:
Finnish Motor Insurers’ Centre
Bulevardi 28, 00120 Helsinki
Tel: 040-450 4520
Finnish Transport Agency
PO Box 33, 00521 Helsinki
Tel: 020-637 373
Rules of the Road
Driving rules, regulations and norms in Finland are relatively straightforward. Drive on the right, overtake on the left. Use of headlights is compulsory, even during the daytime (UK cars must sweep their lights right). Wearing of seat belts is also compulsory.
Traffic approaching from the right has right of way. Exceptions are on roads marked by a triangle sign; if this is facing you, you must give right of way; similarly, if you are on a very major thoroughfare it is likely that the feed-in streets will have triangles, giving you the right of way. On roundabouts (rotaries), the first vehicle to reach the roundabout has right of way.
Speed limits are signposted. Generally the limit in built-up areas is 30km/h (18mph); outside built-up areas, it is usually 80km/h (50mph) unless a road sign indicates otherwise; and on motorways 100km/h (62mph) to 120km/h (75mph). In winter, motorway speeds are generally 20km/h (13 mph) lower. Never ever risk drink-driving in Finland. The limit is very low (0.5 percent blood alcohol) and the fines very steep; imprisonment is also not unheard of. Taxis are available throughout the country, even in the backwaters; be safe, do as the Finns do and use them if you’ve been drinking.
A hands-free mobile must be used if you intend to use the phone while driving.
Taxis
Taxis operate throughout the country, with a 10km (6-mile) trip costing around €20. In Helsinki, taxi stands are located throughout the city centre, including outside the Central Railway Station, around Senate Square, along Esplanade Park and at the ferry terminals.
You’ll find taxi stands in the centres of other large cities, as well as at most major airports, bus and railway stations. Otherwise local telephone books list the number of the nearest company (under Taksi in the White Pages). In Helsinki, the phone number to pre-book a taxi is 0100-0600. Otherwise, call 0100-0700 if you want one immediately (ie within 5 or 10 minutes). The cost of an advance order is €6.40; this will be added to the fare shown on the meter. It is cheaper to hail a cab on the street (the yellow light on the roof will be illuminated if it’s available for hire), though this isn’t always as easy as it sounds. If you are heading to the airport, the yellow Airport Taxi operates taxi runs on a shared basis, which brings the price down: tel: 0600-555 555.
For information on stands and phone numbers for ordering in other Finnish cities, contact:
Finnish Taxi Association (Suomen Taksiliitto)
Nuijamiestentie 7, 00400 Helsinki
Tel: 020-775 6800
Bicycles
Finland is one of the best places in Europe to cycle, with thousands of well-engineered and well-indicated cycle paths and a gently rolling landscape with few real hills. Similarly, the number of outfits renting cycles has grown over the past decade and cycles are now fairly easily hired in many towns. Your best bet is the local tourist office or YHA youth hostel. Bicycles can be taken on many Finnish trains for a fee of €9 (not on Pendolinos; bike spaces on InterCity trains must be reserved ahead); in some areas they can also be carried on buses – this is most commonly done on the buses in Åland.
Be aware that the roads tend to be worse in the more remote regions of the far north, so make sure you have a bike repair kit with you. In the capital, one major summer hire point is Greenbike (Bulevardi 32; tel: 050-550 1020); phone for bicycle hire out of season. In the Åland archipelago, a very popular summer cycling destination, there is a Ro-No rental outlet on both harbours of Mariehamn (see page for more information, click here).
VisitFinland has a good website on cycling, with information on national cycle routes, recommended tours and cycling-related events.
Hitchhiking
Hitching a ride is less common than it used to be as a means of getting about in Finland. This means you may have to wait a long time to get picked up, particularly at weekends and in the furthest reaches of Lapland, where traffic can be pretty thin. Hitchhiking is prohibited on Finland’s motorways; the smaller secondary routes are a better option, anyway. As with anywhere in the world, however, safety can never be guaranteed on the road, and this mode of transport is on the whole not to be recommended.
Snowmobiles
The snowmobile has evolved as a defining aspect of Sami society in the north of Finland. For Samis, snowmobiles are most definitely a core means of transportation for plying the fells, valleys, mountains, plateaus, iced-over lakes, tundra and permafrost of Lapland. The vehicle is now as integrated as the ski or the showshoe for Arctic Finns.
For visitors, however, it is largely a means of recreation and thrill-seeking, with hundreds of skidoo-able trails. Numerous tour companies organise snowmobile/skidoo trips around all areas of Lapland. See pageFor more information, click here for details of tour operators.
Getting around Helsinki
Helsinki is so small and efficient that there is no better way to get around than your own two feet. Still, if you want to travel by public transport, trams are by far the best way of getting around. Purchase a Helsinki Card at the Tourist Office on Pohjoisesplanadi (also available from hotels and R‑kiosks) for 1, 2 or 3 days; with this you get free entry to museums and unlimited transport by bus, tram, metro, commuter trains and the Suomenlinna ferry in Helsinki, as well as assorted discounts at restaurants and concerts.
The 3T and 3B trams double as a sightseeing route, covering a figure-eight around most of Helsinki. Catch either of them from in front of the railway station.
Alternatively, you can get a Helsinki Regional Transport Authority (HSL) ticket lasting from one to seven days. This also entitles you to unlimited use of public transport and can be purchased from a number of outlets: from HSL customer service points below ground at the railway station, vending machines at metro stations, and from the tourist office.
Bus drivers and conductors on commuter trains will only sell single-ride tickets and one-day tourist tickets. Tram drivers do not sell any tickets – you must buy one from a machine before boarding.
Route maps are available in the tourist office and are posted at nearly every stop. Note that there is an extra fare charged on regional journeys (to Espoo and Vantaa) and a night fare applies from 2–4.30am on all the buses. Most buses and trams run from 6am until 1am, but ask the tourist office about night buses in Helsinki and to Espoo and Vantaa.
Helsinki’s public transport system is well integrated, so tickets generally allow you to make any number of changes within one hour of purchase, using other modes of public transport if necessary (buses, trams, the metro, commuter trains and the ferry to Suomenlinna). Tram tickets are an exception – these are valid only on trams.
Helsinki operates a single metro line that runs east from the city, serving local commuters in and out of town; a second line running west from Helsinki is under construction and is due to open in 2015. The metro is fast and clean, with trains running at 5- to 10-minute intervals, but the service shuts down shortly after 11pm so is not suitable for late-night travel. Still, the city is so easy to navigate on foot and by tram, there will probably be little reason for you to use this mode of transport. When travelling on the metro, purchase single tickets from the vending machine before entering the platform.
Health and Medical Care
You’ll have little to worry about healthwise in Finland. However, you may have an uncomfortable time if you coincide with the mosquito season, which descends on the northern and central parts of the country in July and into August. Enquire in Finland about the most effective mosquito repellents from chemists, who know their own brand of insect best.
Visitors from the EEA are covered for emergency medical treatment on presentation of a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC); take your passport along as well as ID. Health and travel insurance is still recommended, however. There is usually a nominal charge for treatment: a visit to a public health centre will cost between €14 and €28, while an overnight hospital stay will cost around €33. Almost any terveysasema (public health centre) or sairaala (hospital) will treat you; you can also schedule regular appointments at a terveysasema (listed as such in telephone directories). The Emergency section is generally called Ensiapu.
Non-EEA visitors should arrange health insurance before travelling.
In Helsinki, Haartman Hospital (Haartmaninkatu 4, Helsinki; tel: 09-310 63231) has 24-hour emergency-duty doctors. Visit www.hus.fi for more information on other hospitals and specialist departments in the Helsinki region.
Pharmacies (Apteekki) charge for prescriptions, but not outrageously. There is usually at least one pharmacy open in larger towns on a late-night basis. In Helsinki, the Apteekki at Mannerheimintie 96 is open 24 hours (tel: 020-320 200). You can also get around-the-clock health-service information and medical advice by phoning 09-10023.
Crime and Safety
Finland is one of the safest countries in Europe. You may find in the larger cities a number of very drunk people wandering around after hours, but they will mostly be harmless to others. Vandalism is the only real noticeable sign of crime – often perpetrated by young teenagers trying to act cool. Occasional pickpocketing has been known on the Helsinki metro and at the main railway station: take common-sense precautions with valuables and you should be fine.
Money and Budgeting
Since early 2002, Finland has used euro (€) notes and coins. There are 100 cents (Finnish: sentti) to the euro. Euro coins come in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents, and 1 and 2 euros. Controversially, however, Finnish shops and businesses usually won’t accept 1- or 2-cent coins, and prices are rounded off to the nearest factor of 5. Notes come in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros; the lowest amount you can withdraw from a cash machine is €20.
Compared to other countries in Europe, Finland is expensive. A hotel room in most cities is likely to cost upwards of €100 per night, though cheaper ones can be found. Meals are similarly highly priced, with an average two-course meal for two plus wine at a mid-level restaurant costing upwards of €90. Museums usually cost between €6 and €12. Groceries tend to be around the EU average for items, while very late at night you can get some fairly inexpensive food items at the ubiquitous grilli kiosks in larger cities (for example, a €3 hamburger).
Credit Cards and Traveller’s Cheques
MasterCard/Access, Visa, Diner’s Club and American Express credit cards are widely accepted in Finland.
Traveller’s cheques and common currencies can be exchanged easily in banks.
Most cash machines (ATMs) marked OTTO will give euros if you have a bank card with an international PIN number (Visa, Cirrus, Plus, MasterCard, Maestro and so on).
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