When you prepare for your trip to Lapland you realize that getting there can be a bit more complicated than the trip to Helsinki, since, at certain times of the year, the number of flights can be less. So, we are going to analyze the travel alternatives, with their advantages and disadvantages, so that you can choose the one that suits you best.
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How to get to Lapland from any country by plane
The Lapland region, located in northern Finland, has a total of 6 airports spread across different cities in the territory: Rovaniemi, Ivalo, Kittilä, Kemi, Kuusamo and Enontekiö. Except for the last one, all have daily flights.
Despite having a good number of airports, they are small in size and cannot handle a large number of flights and, in many cases, the flights operated are local, so it is not possible to travel from abroad. However, Rovaniemi Airport does receive international flights.
Rovaniemi is the main city in the Finnish Lapland region and has the most important airport in the area, so you will likely end up opting for it if you travel by plane. In addition, it is a city that has some of the most important tourist attractions, such as Santa Claus Village, making it possibly the most convenient airport in terms of comfort.
How to get to Lapland from Helsinki
The alternatives to get to Rovaniemi or any other point of Lapland from Helsinki are more numerous, which allows you to better organize the trip and choose the option that fits your budget. The plane, train, bus and the rental car are the means of transport that you will have at your disposal to reach Lapland from Helsinki.
Air travel from Helsinki
As we have already mentioned before, the Lapland region has 6 airports (Rovaniemi, Kittilä, Ivalo, Kemi, Enontekiö and Kuusamo). All of them offer several daily flights from Helsinki and other cities in Finland.
Unless you find an offer, this will be the most expensive alternative. However, the journey takes just over an hour, so it is still a good option, despite the price. From the airports mentioned above, you can use public transport or a taxi to get to the city centre.
You can choose to use Helsinki airport as a stopover to get to Lapland, that is, without stopping to go sightseeing in the capital or, on the contrary, take advantage of and visit Helsinki before or after going to the north of the country. If the second is your case, you can take a look at our guide to getting to the city centre from the airport.
Getting to Rovaniemi by train
Finland’s rail network is extensive and highly efficient. If you opt for this option, you should know that there is a train station inside the airport itself, so if you don’t plan to go sightseeing in Helsinki before, you won’t have to travel around the city.
You can buy your ticket online in advance or purchase it from the station itself. If you opt for the second option, you will have to go to the green machines with the letters VR on them, the name of the company in charge of managing the Finnish rail service.
There is no exact price for the ticket since there are different trains, whose speed is different, and you have to make a transfer, so the duration of this, although not significantly, will also influence the price. However, the prices are not exorbitant. On the other hand, the duration of the journey is between 8 to 11 hours, which, compared to travelling by plane, is a great disadvantage.
Using the bus to go to Lapland
As in the case of the train, the bus service in Finland works correctly, so it is another option to consider if you want to travel from Helsinki to Lapland. Also, there are several daily connections between these two points.
The main advantage is that it has a slightly lower price compared to the train. However, the latter is more comfortable and the duration of the journey is somewhat shorter. Thus, the train is a better alternative and, probably, you will opt for the greater comfort and shorter duration of it, even though the cost is a little higher.
Renting a car in Helsinki
Having your own car will give you greater freedom to organize your trip and move around the country, so renting a car is a good option to go to Lapland and visit different places in the area. You can rent the car in the city or from the airport itself, in which there are 6 different car rental companies so that you can have a car after landing in Helsinki.
The journey will be long, you have to pay for gasoline and you also will have to drive yourself, but it is still an alternative to consider if you plan to travel to different parts of Lapland or other regions of Finland.
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