Welcome to Savonlinna! (Tervetuloa Savonlinnaan!)

Savonlinna is located in the region of South Savo.
The city has around 28,000 inhabitants.

In 2009, 2.3% of the city’s residents spoke a language other than Finnish as their mother tongue.

The City of Savonlinna website contains more information on Savonlinna in Finnish  and links to the Savonlinna Pocket Guide (Savonlinna taskutietosivu) in Finnish, English and Russian.

Welcome to Savonlinna!

Information in several languages (Tietoa usealla eri kielellä)

The Welcome to Savonlinna! guide for immigrants in Finnish, English and Russian.
The guide contains a wealth of important information for immigrants on housing, employment, training, services and leisure activities in Savonlinna.

Personal counselling and guidance
(Henkilökohtaista neuvontaa ja ohjausta)

Guidance and service point NAVIGAATTORI
(Ohjaus- ja palvelupiste NAVIGAATTORI)

NAVIGAATTORI offers free guidance and counselling services for immigrants on a range of topics including language courses and training, social and health care services, matters related to housing, residence and work permits, use of computers, working life and hobbies. NAVIGAATTORI also has a computer for the use of customers.

Counselling at Navigaattori is available in Finnish, English, Russian and French.

If you don’t know who to ask – ask NAVIGAATTORI!

Services for immigrants at NAVIGAATTORI are provided by the International Meeting Point (Kansainvälinen kohtaamispaikka), the Pointti project and the City of Savonlinna Refugee Service (Savonlinnan kaupungin pakolaistyö).

Guidance and service point NAVIGAATTORI
Open Mon–Fri 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
Olavinkatu 40 A, 2nd floor
57130 Savonlinna

Pointti project
tel. 044 550 6668
Pointti project website in Finnish, English and Russian

The International Meeting Point (Kansainvälinen kohtaamispaikka)
tel. 0440 511 803

City of Savonlinna Refugee Service
(Savonlinnan kaupungin pakolaistyö)
tel. 044 417 4143, 044 417 4142
website in Finnish.

Refugees and Asylum Seekers webpage contains more information on the reception of refugees and asylum seekers in Finland.

City of Savonlinna service point
(Savonlinnan kaupungin palvelupiste)

The City of Savonlinna service point counsels and guides customers in using the city’s services. Service is provided in Finnish and, where possible, in English. At the service point customers can, for example, pay their municipal bills, buy a fishing licence for the city’s waterways, or hire a mooring berth for a boat.
More information on the City of Savonlinna website in Finnish.

Savonlinnan kaupungin palvelupiste
(City of Savonlinna service point)
open Mon–Fri 9 a.m.– 4 p.m.
Olavinkatu 27
57130 Savonlinna
tel. 044 417 4053

Decision-making and citizen participation in Savonlinna (Päätöksenteko ja kansalaisvaikuttaminen Savonlinnassa)

City of Savonlinna communications
(Savonlinnan kaupungin tiedotus)

Official channels of communication are the Itä-Savo newspaper and the city’s own website. 

Initiatives and feedback on matters relating to city services can be sent through the link provided on the City of Savonlinna website in Finnish.

Politics and administration in Finland webpage tells more about citizen participation in Finland.

Transport (Liikenne)

Local transport (Paikallisliikenne)

Buses are used for local transport. Bus routes, stops and timetables can be found on the City of Savonlinna website in Finnish or on the Matkahuolto website in Finnish and English. Timetable enquiries can be made at the Matkahuolto service outlet. A ticket can be purchased directly from the bus driver.

If you use the local buses regularly it is worth buying a city ticket (kaupunkilippu) or regional ticket (seutulippu) from Matkahuolto. Travel is cheaper using this kind of ticket.

Matkahuolto, Linja-autoasema
(Matkahuolto, Savonlinna Bus Station)
Tulliportinkatu 1
Tel. 0200 4000 (€1.50/min + local network fee) 
Open Mon–Fri 7 a.m.–5 p.m.

Taxis (Taksi)

Taxis in Savonlinna can be ordered by calling 015 1060100.

When ordering a taxi, give your name and the address where you want the taxi to pick you up. Taxis in Finland are ordered by telephone or by going to a taxi rank (taksitolppa) where taxis await customers.

Trains (Junaliikenne)

VR, the state-owned rail transport company, does not have a service point in Savonlinna. Trains arrive and depart from the railway station on Asematie. Trains can also be boarded at the halt in the Market Place (Kauppatori), where tickets can be bought from an automatic ticket dispenser.

Train timetables can be found at the railway station or on the VR website. Train timetables in Finnish,  Swedish,  English and Russian.

Buses (Linja-autoliikenne)

Bus timetables can be found at the bus station andon the Matkahuolto website in Finnish, Swedish and English.

Linja-autot (buses)
Matkahuolto
Tulliportinkatu 1
Tel.0200 4000 (€1.50/min + local network fee) 
Open Mon–Fri 7 a.m.–5 p.m.

Car (Henkilöauto)

A person residing in Finland permanently may not use a foreign-registered vehicle in Finland. Further information can be obtained from the police or from Finnish customs.

If you drive a car in Finland, you must have a valid driving licence.More information on exchanging a foreign driving licence for a Finnish driving licence can be obtained from a police station or from the police website in Finnish and English: operating a motorcycle also requires a driving licence.

A car must be inspected (katsastettu) and registered (rekisteröity).
Every car must have compulsory motor liability insurance (pakollinen liikennevakuutus).

Further details on the Automobile and Touring Club of Finland (Autoliitto) website in Finnish.

If you are not used to driving in winter, you should take time to practise winter driving. Cars must run on winter tyres in Finland during the winter.

Public parking spaces are closely regulated in Savonlinna, and often involve a parking charge. Payment is by purchasing a ticket from a parking ticket machine using coins. Exceeding the parking time or parking incorrectly results in a parking fine of €40.

The local police can provide assistance in matters related to motoring and driving licences.

Important authorities in Savonlinna (Tärkeitä viranomaisia Savonlinnassa)

Police (Poliisi)

More information on the police can be found on the Info Bank Police webpage.
Information on permits is available on the Info Bank Permits webpage.

You can also view the website of the police in Finnish, Swedishand English.
Website of the local police in Finnish.

            Etelä-Savon poliisilaitos (South Savo Police Department)
            Savonlinnan poliisiasema (Savonlinna Police Station)
            Tottinkatu 9
            57130 Savonlinna 
            Tel. 071 875 5210
            Permit services Mon–Fri 9 a.m.–4.15 p.m.

Finnish Social Insurance Institution (KELA) (Kansaneläkelaitos (Kela)

View the tasks of the Finnish Social Insurance Institution – known as Kela – on the Info Bank Kela webpage. The Kela webpage contains information on Kela services in Finnish, Swedish and English.

Kela
Savonlinnan toimisto (Savonlinna office)
Kirkkokatu 8
57100 Savonlinna
Open Mon–Fri 9 a.m.–4 p.m.

Savonlinna Employment and Economic Development Office (Savonlinnan työ- ja elinkeinotoimisto)

The Employment and Economic Development Office, also known as the TE office (TE-toimisto), serves both employed and unemployed persons.

The TE office gives advice on how to find work, offering information on job vacancies, training, training placements, employment subsidies, professions and entrepreneurship. The office has computers and a copying machine available for customer use.

Read more on the tasks of the TE office at Info Bank.

Webpages of the Savonlinna TE office in Finnish.

The Job Line (Työlinja) service operates as follows:

                    in Finnish tel. 010 19 4904 or e-mail tyolinja@te-toimisto.fi

                    in English tel. 010 60 76766 or e-mail tyolinja@te-toimisto.fi and

                    in Russian tel. 010 19 4924 or 010 60 767 10 or
                    e-mail trud@te-toimisto.fi

Savonlinnan työ- ja elinkeinotoimisto (Savonlinna Employment and Economic Development Office)
Olavinkatu 24, 57130 Savonlinna
Tel. 010 19 4163
Open Mon–Fri 9 a.m.–3.45 p.m.

Social services in Savonlinna (Sosiaalipalvelut Savonlinnassa)

Savonlinna Social Services Department (Savonlinnan sosiaalivirasto)

City of Savonlinna social services include income support, child welfare, services for the disabled, and refugee work.

Read more about social services at Info Bank.

When in need of these services you can contact the City of Savonlinna Social Services Finnish.

Savonlinnan kaupunki (City of Savonlinna)
Sosiaalivirasto (Social Services Department)
Olavinkatu 27 E tai D
57130 Savonlinna
Counselling, tel. 044 471 4121
Open Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–4 p.m.

Itä-Savo Hospital District, or Sosteri (Itä-Savon sairaanhoitopiiri eli Sosteri)

Social services provided by Sosteri include child guidance and family counselling, care for the elderly, home care serviceInfo Bank.

                        Kasvatus- ja perheneuvola
                        (Child guidance and family counselling)
                        Perhepalvelukeskus (Family Services Centre)
                        Pihlajavedentie 4
                        57170 Savonlinna
                        Tel. 044 417 2160
                        counselling and appointments Mon–Fri 12 noon–1 p.m.

                        Kotihoitopalvelut (Home Care Services)
                        Perhepalvelukeskus (Family Services Centre)
                        Pihlajavedentie 4
                        57170 Savonlinna
                        Tel. 044 417 3974, 044 417 3975

                        Päihdepalvelut (Substance Abuse Services)
                        A-klinikka (A-Clinic)
                        Pihlajavedentie 6
                        57170 Savonlinna
                        Tel. 044 417 2116

Tax office (Verotoimisto)

The Info Bank Tax Office and Taxation of workers moving to Finland webpages contain more information about taxation in Finland. A tax card can be obtained from the tax office or from the website of the Finnish Tax Administration at www.vero.fi.

                        Etelä-Savon verotoimisto (South Savo Tax Office)
                        Savonlinnan toimipiste (Savonlinna Office)
                        Olavinkatu 24
                        Tel. 015 57 221
                        Open Mon–Fri 9 a.m.–3 p.m.

Local register office (Maistraatti)

Everyone moving to Finland for at least one year must register at the local register office. The local register office will issue you with a personal ID which you will need for almost all your dealings with the authorities. Those who have been granted a residence permit for less than one year may also register at the local register office if they require a personal ID.

Info Bank Local Register Offices webpage and on the Local Register Offices (Maistraatit) website in Finnish, Swedish and English.

                        Etelä-Savon maistraatti (South Savo Local Register Office)
                        Savonlinnan yksikkö (Savonlinna Unit)
                        Olavinkatu 46A, 3rd floor
                        57100 Savonlinna
                        Tel. 071 875 1051
                        Open Mon–Fri 9 a.m.–4.15 p.m.

Translation and interpreting services (Tulkki- ja käännöspalvelut)

You are entitled to an interpreter (tulkki) in important official business with the authorities. In these cases, the authorities will pay for the interpreting service. However, it is not always possible to find an interpreter. You should check this in advance with the authorities. Interpreting can be conducted on site or over the phone.

More information on interpreting can be found on the Info Bank Do you need an interpreter? webpage.

Search the following Finnish-language websites if you require an authorised translation for certain official documents (e.g. degree certificate):

Suomen kääntäjien ja tulkkien liitto (The Finnish Association of Translators and Interpreters)

Kääntäjäpörssi

Suomalaiset kääntäjät