Tervetuloa Ouluun!
Welcome to Oulu!
Some facts about Oulu
The city of Oulu is located on shores of the Gulf of Bothnia, approximately 600 kilometres north of Helsinki. Oulu is the centre of Northern Finland and the sixth largest city in the country. More than 200,000 people live in the Oulu region, which is one of the most rapidly growing urban areas of Finland.
Oulu is known for its helpful and capable residents, active approach to progress, high standard services and diversified business base. It has a strong reputation as a high-tech city, both in Finland and abroad.
The city boasts long traditions as an international centre: over the centuries it has been connected to other countries through shipping and commerce. The number of immigrants living in Oulu is steadily increasing, with about 3,000 foreign residents from 114 countries in 2009.
Oulu is easy to get to from all directions, and by any means of transport. About 15 flights to Helsinki depart from its international airport every day. All main roads in the area lead to Oulu, and the railway station is one of the busiest in Finland.
Basic information on Oulu is available on the city website in Finnish, Swedish and English.
Photos of Oulu are available with captions in Finnish and English.
Moving to Oulu
The Welcome to Finland section on the Info Bank website provides information on general issues that people moving to Finland should consider.
Some important organisations to help you to settle down in the city are listed below.
Oulu10 and tourist information services
Oulu10is a service point for all members of the public, providing information and instructions on the services of the City of Oulu. Oulu10 will help you with questions concerning the care of children and the elderly, channels of political influence, fishing spots and licences, gardening allotments, boat moorings for hire, and opportunities for sport and exercise. Oulu10 also provides brochures, forms, maps and local bus schedules. The staff can help you to complete City forms.
The tourist information centre is right next to the Oulu10 Service Point, providing help in any questions concerning leisure and other activities organised by the City.
Oulu10 and tourist information services (Oulu10 ja matkailuneuvonta)
Address: Torikatu 10
FI-90100 Oulu
Tel. +358 8 558 55800
E-mail: oulu10@ouka.fi
A website is available in Finnish and English.
Villa Victor international activity centre
Villa Victor is an international meeting place and activity centre that is open to everyone. Clubs, courses, parties and cultural events introducing Finnish culture and the culture of other countries are organised at Villa Victor.
Courses in Finnish and English and information events on Finnish society are organised for immigrants in Villa Victor. The staff at Villa Victor will be happy to assist and guide you.
Internet access free of charge, international newspapers, television and videos are available at Villa Victor, which also provides a venue for organising your own events or playing music.
Social and health care services for refugees and asylum seekers also operate in the centre. Further details are available on the website for Health and Social Services.
Villa Victor
Kirkkokatu 54
FI-90015 Oulu
Further details of Villa Victor are available on its website in Finnish or English.
Oulu Expat City
Oulu Expat City provides services to foreign workers and entrepreneurs and their families living in Oulu. This will help you to prepare your move to Oulu, and to settle in after you arrive. Oulu Expat City also organises events and presentations, and provides consulting services, assistance with permits and documents, and help in managing practical matters such as finding a suitable Finnish language course. Oulu Expat City provides the local city newspaper 65 Degrees North in English.
Further details are available on the Oulu Expat City website in English.
Nappi youth information and guidance centre
Nappi youth information and guidance centre helps young people aged 13 to 30 in all areas of their lives. The service is confidential, free of charge, and there is no need to make an appointment. Nappi provides computers, information folders, brochures and magazines for visitors. There is also a lending library specialising in materials on the lives of young adults.
In addition to meeting Nappi information service advisers at the centre, you can also contact them by e-mail, by telephone, or via the NettiNappi online service (available only in Finnish).
Nappi also operates the NettiNappi website for young immigrants, providing information on Finnish society, culture and activities in Oulu. This website is available in Finnish, English, French, Russian and Arabic.
Young people can send questions to the information service adviser in English using the form on the Immigrant NettiNappi website. The information service adviser will also answer these questions in English.
You can find Nappi at Hallituskatu 5 A. For more detailed contact information in Finnish please visit the Nappi website (in Finnish).
The Aino service for the elderly
AINO is a counselling service for the elderly. For more information see counselling services for the elderly under Social services.
Northern Finland Interpreting Service (Pohjois-Suomen tulkkipalvelu)
The Northern Finland Interpreting Service provides interpretation and translation services to public authorities and to immigrants for managing official transactions. The interpreting service may be used, for instance, for transactions at reception centres, at the Finnish Immigration Serviceand at social service and health centres. The authorities are responsible for ordering interpretation services.
The website of Northern Finland Interpreting Services is available both in Finnish and English.
Community centres (Asukastuvat)
Several community centres throughout the city serve as meeting places and living rooms for Oulu residents. Everybody is welcome to drop in to browse the newspapers or simply to spend some time.
Community centres provide various services to ease and brighten up everyday life, such as the home help service, help with cleaning and shopping, a sewing service, computer advice and training, a meals service, courses and clubs, physical exercise and cultural activities.
Further details of city resident activities and the location of community centres are available on the Oulu website in Finnish.
Internet
As elsewhere in Finland, the fastest way to manage things is online. Free Internet access is available at city libraries, at the Oulu10 Service Point, at Villa Victor and at some community centres. You may also purchase a home Internet connection from a local service provider, such as DNA, Elisa, Saunalahti or Sonera. Contact the service provider directly for further details of connection types and prices.
Pan Oulu
The City of Oulu also provides a free wireless Internet connection for residents. The Pan Oulu network is available in the city centre and at public libraries, City offices, the University and the airport.
Further instructions and details of network coverage are available on the website in Finnish or English.
The OmaOulu service
OmaOulu is a free network service providing information on all electronic services of the City of Oulu. Users of the OmaOulu service have a personal page where they can gather the electronic services that they need. This continually evolving service currently includes e-mail and photo album services, various community services, and established online services of the City of Oulu.
More information on the service is available from the OmaOulu website in Finnish.
Transport
Buses
Local buses provide a good way to move about in the Oulu region. There are approximately 30 routes, some of which also serve outlying districts. Besides normal buses, there are three City Bussi lines operating in the immediate environs of the city centre. The City Bussi fare is cheaper than bus fares on other routes.
Nearly all downtown buses pass along Torikatu street. During the summer the Potnapekka tourist train also tours the downtown district, Hietasaari Island and Hupisaari island, providing the finest views in town.
Details of timetables, ticket prices and routes are available at the Koskilinjat Oy website in Finnish, Swedish and English, and as a printed version at the Oulu10 Service Point. The website of the Oulu10 Service Point is available in Finnish and English.
Taxis
Taxi services in Oulu are co-ordinated by Oulun Aluetaksi Oy. Details of prices and phone numbers are shown on the website of Oulun Aluetaksi Oy in Finnish or English.
Driving and parking
The centre of Oulu provides ample parking space on the streets, and in designated parking areas and parking halls. Some parking spaces are free of charge, while others provide free parking for example for 30 minutes or two hours. Other parking lots are free of charge only outside peak hours.
For parking areas of time-limited availability, a blue parking disc with a clock face is used. The time of arrival is marked on the disc to the next full hour and the disc is placed on the windshield in a visible spot. Parking discs can be bought at filling stations and department stores.
Parking costs vary depending on the parking zone. Parking in the city centre is more expensive than in the outskirts of the city. Parking fees are paid to a nearby parking machine, either in coins or by mobile phone.
A traffic sign explains the current parking rules, and should be studied before parking.
Further details of motoring and parking are available on the City of Oulu website in Finnish and English.
Cycling
Oulu is a beautiful city for cycling. The wide-ranging cycle path network extends throughout the city and into neighbouring districts. Cycle paths are kept open all year round, and many local people even cycle in winter. Further details of cycle paths in Oulu are available in the leisure section or on the City of Oulu website in English.
Transport links
Several local and regional buses serve the main Oulu bus station. Further details are available at www.matkahuolto.fi (website in Finnish, Swedish and English).
Details of railway connections from Oulu to other parts of Finland are available on the website of Finnish State Railways at www.vr.fi (website in Finnish, Swedish, English and Russian).
Many flights to Helsinki, other Finnish cities and international destinations depart from Oulu airport. Click here for further details of the airport in Finnish, Swedish and English.
Civic participation
More information on opportunities for civic participation is available at the Oulu10 Service Point or from the website of the City of Oulu in Finnish.
You can also leave comments or suggestions through the Initiative! service (in Finnish or English) on the Oulu website.
There are also civic participation groups for children and young people in Oulu. Further details are available from the various youth centres of the city at the addresses shown online in Finnish and English.