Finland: Difference between revisions

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{{Country
{{Country
|transport=Public transportation in cities is very expensive.
|introduction='''Finland''' is a part of the Northern [[Europe]] and one of the Nordic countries. It is a member state of the [[European Union]] as well as the [[Schengen Agreement]]. Its neighbouring countries are [[Sweden]], [[Norway]] and [[Russia]]. [[Estonia]] is directly to the south over the Gulf of Finland.
|transport=Public transportation in cities is very expensive. There is info about [[hitchhiking]] on [[:hitch:Finland|Hitchwiki]].


Several low-cost airlines operate from [[Helsinki]], [[Tampere]], [[Turku]] and [[Lappeenranta]].
Several low-cost airlines operate from [[Helsinki]], [[Tampere]], [[Turku]] and [[Lappeenranta]].
===Ride share===
* [http://kyyti.net/ Kyyti.net]
* [https://www.facebook.com/groups/kimppakyyti/ FB rideshare -group]
* [https://www.facebook.com/groups/451156288330710/ FB truck drivers offering rides -group]
* [https://BlaBlaCar.com BlaBlaCar] offers great rides in Finland too, if you make an account just choose another country cause Finland is not listed yet as 'registration counry'
===Buses===
Lately [[OnniBus]] has been offering cheap intercity bus connections, but they haven't yet been allowed to operate on all routes and they have only one or two connections per day. They are not often allowed to use main bus terminals and stop on normal bus stops instead.
[[PoriExpress]] is similar cheap bus company operating mostly in western Finland.
[http://www.matkahuolto.fi Matkahuolto] is search engine together for all bus companies (except Onnibus). You can nowadays find discound tickets easily.
===Trains===
Only passenger train company in Finland is [http://www.vr.fi VR]. Train tickets are always cheaper to buy in advance.
North-most train station is in [[Kolari]], [[Lapland]].
* [http://gratu.miso.fi/aikataulut/ All train timetables in Finland] (including freight trains)
===Flights===
It's actually quite affordable to fly inside the country, since it's so big. If you book in advance, you can get [[Helsinki]]—[[Oulu]] for 30 euro from [[Norwegian]].
To fly in/out from the country, check [[Norwegian]], [[Ryanair]], [[Wizzair]] and [[AirBaltic]]. Cheap airliners use airports in [[Tampere]], [[Turku]], [[Lappeenranta]], [[Oulu]] and [[Helsinki]].
===Student discount===
With Finnish blue student card you get 50% discount at trains and buses, but not with ISIC or other international cards.
=== Ferries ===
There are no border checkpoints between Finland, Sweden and Norway. You can cross these borders without stopping.
* [[Torfyanovka-Valimaa border crossing]] with [[Russia]]
* [[Brusnichnoe-Nuijamaa border crossing]] with [[Russia]]
==== From/to Sweden ====
Ferries to Stockholm go from [[Helsinki]] and [[Turku]]. The latter is considerably cheaper. Both ferries also stop in [[Maarianhamina]] ([[Åland Islands|Ahvenanmaa]]), or [[Mariehamn]] ([[Åland Islands|Åland]]), as its Swedish-speaking population calls it. It is possible to buy a deck ticket to Maarianhamina only and yet ride the whole way as nobody is checking. The two companies which run ferries between Finland and Sweden are [http://www.vikingline.fi ''Viking Line''] and [http://www.silja.com ''Silja Line'']. Both of the companies are focused on bringing the customers a cruise-experience, and are bound to be tacky. ''Viking Line'' sells cheaper tickets without a cabin, too, which would be rather useless on the daytime trips between [[Turku]] and [[Stockholm]] anyway. As of June 2016, a morning ferry from Stockholm to Turku (and vice-versa) costs €15, and Stockholm-Helsinki (and vice versa) costs from €88 (the latter includes compulsory cabin reservation,  and prices vary according to season; also, special offers can put the price below €10).
''Silja Line'' is the posher of the two, and thus more expensive. It's still tacky, though.
The ''Viking Line'' cruise ships have free tourist maps of Turku at their information desks on board. Be aware, though, that if you take a daytime cruise (which is about half the price), you will arrive in Turku at night. During the autumn, winter and early spring that means no daylight which is no help for hitchhiking. In winter nights, extremely cold temperatures might occur as well.
A decidedly more exciting option is to do island hopping on the small  [http://www.alandstrafiken.ax/en ''car ferries''] running from Turku to Maarianhamina. For foot passengers, this option is free. You can continue to Sweden with one of the above mentioned companies or [https://www.eckeroline.fi/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/TopCategoriesDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10151 "Eckerö Lines"]
There are also ferries crossing the Bothnic Gulf from the Finnish city of [[Vaasa]] to the Swedish city of [[Umea]] and vice-versa. The ferry goes eight times a week (see the schedule [http://www.umeavasa.com/en/index.php# here]). Crossing will cost you around 30 euro but it is a quite comfortable trip.
==== From/to Estonia ====
There is no land connection between Finland and [[Estonia]]. There are many daily ferries from [[Helsinki]] to [[Tallinn]]. It takes 1-3 hours (most ferries 2h), costs about 20-50 euros (the cheapest tickets you should try to book in advance).
You can hitch sail and motor boats from Tallinn and Pirita marinas during the summer. Especially Sunday mornings are good when Finns return from their weekend trips.
Cars pay also per passanger so it's not possible to hitch a car to the ferry for free.
===Ferry companies===
* [http://www.tallinksilja.com/ Tallink & Silja Line]
* [http://www.vikingline.com/ Viking Line]
* [https://www.eckeroline.fi/en Eckerö Line]
* [http://www.lindaliini.ee/en/ Linda Line]
|accommodation=Accommodation is expensive but [[hospitality exchange]] works pretty well. Not ideal country for hostels.
|accommodation=Accommodation is expensive but [[hospitality exchange]] works pretty well. Not ideal country for hostels.


It's allowed to camp in nature.
[[Spontaneous hospitality]] works also very well, both in cities (street hosting/panel way) as in villages (or town or small cities view the usual sizes), especially in [[Lapland]]
|food=Cheapest restaurants are usually pizzerias (4-7e) or chinese restaurants. Usually food is cheaper if you take it away.
 
|connectivity=Libraries often have free wifi.
Finnish laws allow anyone to camp in nature or the [[Freedom to Roam]].
 
[[Camping]] is legal almost anywhere in Finland, just stay slightly out of sight and you can even camp next to [[highway|motorways]].]]
 
Like the other Nordic countries, Finland has everyman's right (''jokamiehenoikeus'') meaning that it is allowed to camp on any land provided that you stay a few hundred metres from houses, do not start a fire, and do not more than one night in any given place. While everyman's right technically doesn't apply inside of towns and cities, there is usually no problem with camping in isolated areas of parks -- even if police see you, they are more concerned with gypsies than with backpackers.
 
In Southern Finland and the Åland Islands, the forests and grassy areas are full of ticks, so wear clothing that covers your legs and check occasionally that you haven't been bitten.
 
=== Lean-to's and huts ===
At official hiking paths there are often free cottages and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lean-to lean-to's] where you can stay for free.
 
* '''[http://www.laavu.org/autiotuvat/ Laavu.org]''' for locations of these all around Finland. Click "Lataa" (download) and "Kaikki" (all) to download a gpx file of locations which you can then put to your favourite map app.
* '''[https://www.tulikartta.fi/ Tulikartta.fi]''' has a map of lean-to's, wilderness huts, fireplaces, resting spots, bird watch towers etc.
 
Read [http://www.nationalparks.fi/en/huts/typesofhuts/rulesforusingopenwildernesshuts how to use wilderness huts].
|bewelcome-link=http://www.bewelcome.org/places/Finland/FI
|food='Buffet Lunch' - The most affordable way to eat in a restaurant is to find a cheap 'all you can eat' place, mostly they are called 'buffet', you can eat normally from 11.00 to 17.00 from 7 euros.
 
Cheapest restaurants are usually pizzerias (4-7e) or Chinese restaurants. Usually food is cheaper if you take it away.
|connectivity=* Libraries often have free wifi.
* long distance trains operated by VR have free wifi
|busking=Busking can be extremely rentable in Finland.
 
Big cities like [[Helsinki]] can grant you an actual good salary but also medium/small size places can be a good option (e.g. in front of supermarket/mall areas before security tell you politely to move)
|visa=Finland is part of [[Schengen]].
}}
}}
[[hitch:Finland]]
===Maps===
* [http://finterest.fi/ Finterest.fi] - Interactive map of Finland (e.g. free campings and fireplaces)
* Free topographic maps of Finland for [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.swampsend.maastokartat&hl=en Android phones] and [https://www.maastokartat.fi/ browser].
* [https://www.retkikartta.fi/?lang=en Hiking maps]
* Coordinates of free cottages and lean-ons to stay all around the country: [http://www.laavu.org/autiotuvat/ Laavu.org]. See "accommodation" section of this article for more.
 
===Kayaking and canoeing===
Finland is full of lakes and rivers, thus doing trips with Kayak or canoe are very popular. It's an easy and affordable way to move even long distances (longest lakes in Finland are hundreds of kilometers long). Since you can camp pretty much anywhere in Finland, you can just stay overnight at islands or coastal rocks.
 
A good site to find out about good routes is unfortunately only in Finnish, but using translation programs you can navigate there pretty easily: [http://melontareitit.com/melontareitit/ Melontareitit.com]
 
== Read on ==
* [http://www.hitchbase.com/orte.php?LANG=eng&l_id=66 Hitchbase] page for Finland with somewhat outdated tips for locations
* [http://books.google.com/books?id=ZY_XZW9AtYgC&printsec=frontcover&dq=finland Lonely Planet − Finland eBook (2003) ''preview'']
* [http://www.kyydit.net Kyydit.net] - [[rideshare]] network for Finland
* [http://www.kimppa.net Kimppa.net] - another [[rideshare]] network for Finland
* [https://www.facebook.com/groups/451156288330710/ Truck drivers offering rides on FB group]
* [http://finterest.fi/ Finterest.fi] - interactive map of Finland (e.g. free campings and fireplaces)
[[trash:Finland]]
[[trash:Finland]]
[[couch:Finland]]
[[couch:Finland]]
[[cash:Finland]]

Revision as of 16:34, 7 March 2018

Template:Country

Maps

  • Finterest.fi - Interactive map of Finland (e.g. free campings and fireplaces)
  • Free topographic maps of Finland for Android phones and browser.
  • Hiking maps
  • Coordinates of free cottages and lean-ons to stay all around the country: Laavu.org. See "accommodation" section of this article for more.

Kayaking and canoeing

Finland is full of lakes and rivers, thus doing trips with Kayak or canoe are very popular. It's an easy and affordable way to move even long distances (longest lakes in Finland are hundreds of kilometers long). Since you can camp pretty much anywhere in Finland, you can just stay overnight at islands or coastal rocks.

A good site to find out about good routes is unfortunately only in Finnish, but using translation programs you can navigate there pretty easily: Melontareitit.com

Read on

trash:Finland couch:Finland cash:Finland

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