Finland (FI)

Finland is a Nordic parliamentary republic in Northern Europe, bordering Sweden, Norway, and Russia, with a southern coastline on the Gulf of Finland.

Capital: Helsinki

Region: Europe

Language: Finnish

Currency: EUR (€)

Cost of living: Expensive (index 76)

Emergency: 112

Getting Around

Transport options for living in Finland.

Public Transport Overview

Finland has a modern and comprehensive public transport network, especially in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area (HSL — Helsingin seudun liikenne). The HSL network integrates metro, trams, city buses, commuter trains, and ferry connections on a unified ticketing system. The national railway operator VR (Valtion Rautatiet) connects Finnish cities by inter-city and high-speed trains. Long-distance buses (Onnibus, Matkahuolto) serve routes not covered by rail. The Whim app offers mobility-as-a-service combining all modes. Outside the Helsinki area, public transport is less frequent and a car becomes more useful.

Main operators:

HSL (Helsingin seudun liikenne) — Helsinki Metropolitan Area transport authority (metro, trams, buses, commuter trains, ferry)VR (Valtion Rautatiet) — national railway operatorOnnibus — low-cost long-distance bus service covering all major Finnish citiesMatkahuolto — national bus network and parcel serviceTampere Tramway (Nysse) — Tampere metropolitan area public transportTurku Regional Transport (Föli) — Turku metropolitan area busesOulu Public Transport — Oulu city busesHSL Ferry — Helsinki archipelago ferry connections (Suomenlinna etc.)

🎫 Transit Passes

HSL Day Ticket / Regional Ticket Single ticket: €3.30 (AB zone, mobile — raised January 2026). Day ticket: €8. Monthly pass: €73.90/month (AB zones, one-off) or €61.60/month (Saver direct-debit). Regional pass: €121.80/month (ABCD zones including airport)

All HSL transport within the purchased zones: metro, trams, buses, commuter trains, and Suomenlinna ferry.

💡 Buy via the HSL app for the cheapest prices. Zone A = central Helsinki, B = inner suburbs, C = outer suburbs (Espoo/Vantaa), D = outer ring including airport. A single journey ticket is valid for 80 minutes (metro/bus/tram) with transfers included. The HSL app stores your tickets — no physical card needed.

VR Train Ticket (inter-city) Single ticket: varies by route and advance purchase. Helsinki–Tampere from ~€6 (cheapest advance fare). Helsinki–Turku from €14. Helsinki–Oulu from €20. Intercity+/Pendolino premium prices higher.

VR national rail network covering all major Finnish cities.

💡 Book in advance via vr.fi or the VR app for cheapest prices. VR Kausi (season pass) available for regular commuters. Intercity trains (IC) are comfortable and punctual. Pendolino is the fastest high-speed service (Helsinki–Tampere in 1h40min).

Onnibus (long-distance bus) From €1 (promotional) to €25 for most routes. Helsinki–Tampere from €5. Helsinki–Turku from €6.

All major Finnish cities and many smaller towns not on the rail network.

💡 Excellent value alternative to VR. Comfortable coaches with WiFi. Especially good for routes like Helsinki–Jyväskylä. Book at onnibus.com or the app.

Whim (mobility-as-a-service) Whim Urban: ~€59.70/month (Helsinki area, unlimited local transport; confirm current price at whimapp.com). Various plans available.

Helsinki Metropolitan Area — integrates HSL, city bikes, scooters, and taxi.

💡 Innovative Finnish mobility app combining all transport modes into one subscription. Good for people who occasionally need taxis or city bikes in addition to public transit.

Taxi & Rideshare

Taxis are available nationwide but expensive. Metered fares start from €5.90 (flag fall) plus approximately €1.80–2.20/km. A 10 km ride in Helsinki costs approximately €25–35. Apps: Uber (widely available in Helsinki, Tampere, Turku), Yango, FixuTaxi, and various local operators. All licensed taxis accept card payment. The Finnish taxi market was fully deregulated in 2018 — check the app price before booking. Pre-booking via app is usually cheapest. Taxi receipts (kuitit) available for expense claims.

Rideshare (Long-distance)

Uber operates across Finnish cities. BlaBlaCar for longer-distance ridesharing. City bikes (kaupunkipyörät) available via HSL in Helsinki (season pass or per-use via app). Electric scooters (Tier, Voi, Lime, VOI) available in Helsinki, Tampere, and other cities — check designated parking areas. OlliOlli shared electric cars available in Helsinki.

Cycling

Cycling is popular in Finnish cities, particularly Helsinki, Tampere, and Oulu. Helsinki has approximately 1,500 km of cycling routes, including many dedicated lanes. However, cycling infrastructure is less developed than in Copenhagen. Oulu is Finland's cycling capital — famous for high cycling rates even in winter. City bikes (Helsinki kaupunkipyörät) available April–October. Finnish law requires cyclists to use lights at night and wear helmets (though the helmet law is technically advisory for adults). Bikes can be taken on VR trains for a fee (€5–10). Finnish winters are challenging for cycling — Helsinki is flatter and warmer than most of Finland.

Intercity Trains

VR operates frequent inter-city services: Helsinki–Tampere (approximately 1h40min, Pendolino); Helsinki–Turku (approximately 2 hours); Helsinki–Oulu (approximately 3h30min); Helsinki–Rovaniemi (approximately 8 hours overnight train with sleeping berths). The Finnish rail network covers most major population centres but rural areas rely on buses. Cross-border: Stockholm (ferry, no direct train), St. Petersburg (service suspended as of 2022 due to Russia sanctions).

Driving

Finland drives on the right. Roads are generally excellent, though rural roads can be narrow. No motorway tolls in Finland (all highways are free). Speed limits: 30–50 km/h urban, 80 km/h rural, 100–120 km/h motorway. Winter speed limits (80 km/h on some highways) apply from November to March. Drink-drive limit: 0.5‰ (0.2‰ stricter for professional drivers). Winter tyres (talvirenkaat) are mandatory between 1 December and 28 February (approximately) when conditions require — defined by law as when roads are icy or snowy. Studs allowed during winter periods. Headlights must be on at all times (day and night) in Finland. Moose and reindeer on roads are a serious danger — moose collisions kill dozens of people annually.

Airports

Helsinki Airport (Helsinki-Vantaa / HEL) is the main international hub, located 20 km north of central Helsinki. The Ring Rail Line (Kehärata) connects the airport to Helsinki Central Station in approximately 30 minutes (€4.10). Taxis: €40–60 to city centre. Bus options: Finnair City Bus and airport express coaches. Tampere Airport (TMP) serves central Finland. Oulu Airport (OUL), Rovaniemi Airport (RVN), and Kuopio Airport serve regional routes. Finavia operates Finnish airports.