Liikenne
Driving a car
In Finland, we drive on the right. Traffic rules are strictly enforced. The law says that everyone travelling in a car must wear a seatbelt and children who are less than 135 centimetres tall must have a safety seat. Adults in the car are responsible for making sure that the child is seated in the safety seat and has his seatbelt on.
All motor vehicles that are used on the road must be registered and have a valid roadworthiness certificate. For information on vehicle inspection, please consult Police
To drive a car or ride a motorbike, you need a driving licence. In order to be issued with a driving licence you must be over 18 years of age. You can obtain driving instruction from a driving school, or from a private person whom the police have separately issued with a driving instruction licence. After the driving lessons, you have to pass a written examination and a driving test arranged by the local vehicle inspection station. The police will then issue you with a driving licence.
A Finnish driving licence can often be substituted for an existing foreign licence. The website of the Finnish Police has more information on the topic in Finnish, Swedish and English.
Driving can be tricky in Finland in wintertime. The central organisation for traffic safety in Finland has a website where you can find tips for winter driving and lots more in the following languages:
English
Finnish
Swedish
Russian
To get a taxi, you can either book by phone or go to a taxi stand.
Information on booking a taxi
More information on taxis on the website of the Finnish Taxi Owners Federation in Finnish, Swedish, English, German and French.
Bikes and Pedestrians
Towns and other densely populated areas usually have designated cycle paths that take you handily from A to B. If you have to cycle on the road, always ride as close to the right-hand side edge as possible. According to the law, you have to wear a helmet while cycling in Finland.
Many cities and towns publish a free map for cyclists. Enquire for maps from local tourism offices. Cycling maps can also be purchased from bookshops.
Pedestrians must walk along the pavement or the lane designated for light traffic, if one exists. If not, pedestrians have to walk along the side of the road. The left-hand side edge is usually safer. Remember that in the dark or the twilight it is almost impossible for drivers to see a pedestrian or a cyclist. That is why Finnish law specifies that pedestrians have to wear suitable reflective gear when walking along the road in the dark. Reflective gear is available to buy from sports outlets and department stores, for example, and many newsagents, chemists and petrol stations sell it as well. Cyclists also have to ensure that their lights are working.
Straightforward road safety guide for pedestrians
Straightforward road safety guide for cyclists
Public Transport
In Finland, public transport is very efficient. Public transport is an environmentally sustainable and economical way to travel. Trains and buses are clean and they run on time, everywhere in Finland.
The trains are operated by a state-owned enterprise, VR. You can reserve and buy travel and seat tickets from local railway stations or at VR’s website.
There are several coach operators in Finland but tickets for all bus companies can be bought from Matkahuolto outlets or on its website.
Train timetables
Long-distance coach timetables
The new public transport route planner service helps you to pick the best route to anywhere in Finland.
Air Traffic
Finland has 24 airports. The biggest airport is Helsinki-Vantaa
A list of Finnish airports
Examples of internationally operating Finnish airlines include Finnair and Blue1. These airlines offer both domestic and international flights.
For more information on air traffic, please visit: Finavia
Useful links
VisitFinland is a website which contains maps of Finland in English.
The website of the Finnish Road Administration contains information on traffic rules, traffic weather and has a travel distance calculator.