Train | Long-distance Buses |Renting a Car | Taxi |Flying | Travel Agency | Ferries
Finland has wide and efficient railway and long distance bus connections. It is very easy and fast to get from a city to another by train or bus. Even buying the ticket is quite easy these days, because people are able to buy them in the internet too. It is important to notice that the Finland trains and busses follow timetables very closely.
Students will get 50% discount from the normal, adult train and long distance bus ticket prices. The bus distance must be over 80 kilometres in order to get the full discount. The Finnish Railways and Matkahuolto only accept the Finnish student card (not the ISIC card). Unfortunately, regional tickets are not yet available for exchange students. When international exchange students have arrived in Finland, started school / practical / clinical training and been registered into the student records, they can get a study certificate from the international office/coordinator. With the certificate, international students will be able to buy the student card of the Finnish Railways and Matkahuolto, which gives the same discount as the national student cards.
Remember to check if you are allowed to travel outside the Finnish borders with your residence permit/visa.
Train
Finland has a good railway network. All big cities and many of the smaller ones can be reached by train. As a student (except for postgraduate students) you will get a discount on train fares with a valid student card. Buy your tickets in advance at the railway station ticket office or with a credit card from the train ticket vending machine (Junamaatti). Tickets bought on board cost about EUR 2,50 more during the opening hours of the ticket office.
On the train, you will be asked to show your student card to the conductor together with the ticket. When buying a ticket, you will need to know which train you will take, because a seat reservation will be included in the ticket. The ticket fare depends on the train you take. Inter City and Pendolino trains are more expensive than ordinary express trains. Note also that your student discount is not valid on local trains in the Greater Helsinki area.
Tampere Railway Station (Rautatieasema)
Address: Rautatienkatu 25.
Ticket office is open Mon–Fri 5.45–20.15, Sat 5.45–19.15, Sun 10.30–20.15.
Information on train timetables, railway network etc. www.vr.fi/heo/eng/
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Long-distance Buses
Long-distance buses run frequently to most parts of Finland, often to smaller places too, not served by trains. Long-distance buses are also the easiest way to get to Ikaalinen, Mänttä or Virrat. You can obtain a special student rate with your student card if you travel at least 80 km. Tickets can be bought at the ticket office or on board the bus. Long distance buses leave from the coach station (linja-autoasema) at Hatanpään valtatie 5–7.
The ticket office is open Mon–Fri 8.00–18.00, Sat 9.00–16.00, Sun 10.00–18.00. Information on bus timetables, tickets etc. www.matkahuolto.fi/en
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Renting a Car
Renting a car is easy but expensive. The rental costs vary from EUR 25–100 per day with a kilometre limit, more without the limit. In addition to the rent, you must of course pay for the petrol, which currently costs about EUR 1.20 per litre.
Before driving in Finland, it is also good to learn all the traffic regulations and driving habits. See www.mintc.fi/www/sivut/english/drive/
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Taxi
Finnish taxies (taksi) always charge by the counter. Taxis are quite expensive, but no tip is expected. The system is reliable and safe, so foreigners do not have to be afraid of being hoaxed. Taxies may be taken from the taxi stands or ordered by telephone. Taxies can be recognised from the yellow TAKSI or TAXI and/or number signs on the roof of the car.
In Tampere: To call a taxi, dial 10041 or from a mobile phone 0100 4131.
In Virrat: To call a taxi, dial 0100 2020
In Mänttä: To call a taxi, dial (03) 474 2000
In Ikalainen: To call a taxi, dial (03) 458 6600
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Flying
Finnair flies between the major cities in Finland and offers tickets at special price to 17–24 year olds. To book or to ask for more information, call Finnair, tel. 0600-140 140 (in English, charge EUR 1,64 + local net charge). Stand-by tickets in Finland cost EUR 50-70 per flight. Check-in is not earlier than 2 hours or later than 45 minutes before the flight.
To make enquiries about schedules and seat availability on a certain flight, call the 24 hour automatic telephone services in English, tel. 09-818 8383. Check the homepages of Finnair for timetables and other information. www.finnair.com
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Travel Agency
Kilroy Travels is a travel agency (Matkatoimisto) owned by the Student Union of the University of Helsinki and offers student prices and discounts. International Student Identity Cards (ISIC card), youth hostel cards, etc., are available there. Another student-friendly travel agency is the Student Travel Association (STA).
Kilroy Travels
Address: Tuomiokirkonkatu 34
www.kilroytravels.com
STA (by AREA)
Address: Hämeenkatu 21
www.statravel.com
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Ferries
Also look into trips to Estonia, Russia and Sweden offered by different ferry companies:
Eckerö Line Agency
Address: Mannerheimintie 10
00100 Helsinki
www.eckeroline.fi/en/
Silja Line
Address: Keskustori 1
33100 Tampere
www.tallinksilja.com/en
Viking Line
Address: Hämeenkatu 2
33100 Tampere
Tel. 249 0111
www.vikingline.fi/index.asp?lang=en
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