Finnish public transport is punctual, cashless and app-based, and most newcomers in cities never need a car. If you do, the licence exchange has a deadline that catches people out.
City transport
- Helsinki region: HSL covers Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa and the surrounding municipalities with buses, trams, metro, commuter trains and the Suomenlinna ferry, in zones A to D. Buy tickets in the HSL app or a card; a monthly ticket for the zones you use is far cheaper than singles. Children under seven travel free.
- Tampere: Nysse, with the tram. Turku: Föli. Oulu, Jyväskylä and most cities: Waltti. All have apps in English.
- City bikes from April to October in the big cities, a season pass for the price of a few rides.
- Taxis: apps such as Uber, Bolt and the local taxi apps; prices are high, tipping is not expected.
Between cities
VR trains connect the main cities; book early for cheap fares. Long-distance buses (Onnibus, Matkahuolto) are cheaper still. Domestic flights matter only for Lapland. Ferries run to Tallinn (two hours), Stockholm (overnight) and the archipelago.
Driving
Your licence: a licence from an EU or EEA country is valid as is. Licences from many other countries can be exchanged for a Finnish one without a test within a fixed period after you register your residence, provided you held the licence before moving; after that period you need the full Finnish test. Check your country's rule at Traficom or Ajovarma early; the deadline is real.
Buying a car: used cars are sold on Nettiauto and Tori; the seller and buyer register the change of ownership online, and the buyer arranges compulsory motor liability insurance (liikennevakuutus) from the day of purchase. Annual vehicle tax is billed by Traficom, and every car has a periodic inspection (katsastus).
Winter tyres are compulsory in winter conditions from November to March; most people fit them in late October and swap back in April. Studded (nastarenkaat) or friction (kitkarenkaat) tyres both count.
Rules that surprise: headlights on at all times, speed cameras everywhere, drink-driving limit of 0.5 per mille strictly enforced, and moose on the roads at dusk in the countryside; the warning signs are not decorative.
Transport Finnish
| Finnish | Meaning |
|---|---|
| lippu, kausilippu | ticket, season ticket |
| vyöhyke | zone |
| pysäkki, asema | stop, station |
| ajokortti | driving licence |
| katsastus | vehicle inspection |
| talvirenkaat | winter tyres |
| liikennevakuutus | motor liability insurance |
| Mihin tämä bussi menee? | Where does this bus go? |