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GETTING AROUND |
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You'll have few headaches getting around the more populated parts of
Finland. The chief forms of public transport are trains, backed up,
particularly on east-west journeys, by long-distance buses. For the most
part trains and buses integrate well, and you'll only need to plan with
care when travelling through the remoter areas of the far north and east
Trains and buses
The swiftest land link between Finland's major cities is invariably
trains , operated by VR , Finnish State Railways (tel 0100121, www.vr.fi
). Large, comfortable express trains (and a growing number of super-smooth
Inter-city and EP, or special express, trains) serve the principal north-south
routes several times a day. Elsewhere, especially on east-west hauls
through sparsely populated regions, rail services tend to be skeletal
and trains are often tiny or replaced by buses on which rail passes are
still valid.
InterRail and ScanRail passes are valid on all trains. If you don't have
one of these and are planning a lot of travelling, get a Finnrail Pass
before arriving in Finland, from either the Finnish Tourist Board or a
travel agent. This costs £67/$105 for 3 days' travel in a month,
£97/$140 for 5 days and £129/$190 for 10 days. The pass is valid for
travel on the entire rail network. Ordinary fares are surprisingly
reasonable. One-way tickets are valid for 8 days, returns for a month
and you can break your journey once in each direction, provided the
ticket is stamped at the station where you stop and the total distance
covered is over 80km. If there are three or more of you travelling
together, group tickets, available from a train station or travel agent,
can cut fares by at least 20 percent. Seat reservations , costing ¬6,
are a good idea at weekends and holidays; on EP and IC trains, a
supplement of between ¬6 and ¬13.50 must be paid, which includes (compulsory)
seat reservation. Sleeping berths are also available on a number of
routes, for ¬10 sharing a three-berth, ¬20 sharing a twin. The complete
timetable ( Suomen Kulkuneuvot ) of Finnish rail, bus, ferry and air
routes costs ¬16 from bookshops and kiosks, though the Taskuaikataulu
booklet (¬0.85) from any tourist office or station covers the major
connections.
Buses - run by local private companies but with a common ticket system -
cover the whole country, and are often quicker and more frequent than
trains over the shorter east-west hops. Fares are approximately ¬14 for
100km, ¬36 for a 400km journey; seat reservations cost ¬2. All types of
ticket can be purchased at a bus station or at most travel agents; only
ordinary one-way tickets can be bought when boarding the bus. Of the
discount tickets available, return fares are ten percent less than two
one-ways, three or more people travelling 80km or more qualify for a
group reduction of 20 percent; holders of YIEE/FIYTO and GO-25 (¬10 for
those under 26) cards get a 30 percent reduction on trips of similar
length. A ¬17 supplement is charged on express buses. Students can also
buy a bus travel discount card for ¬8.50 (certificate from school or
college and photo required), giving 35-50 percent reductions on journeys
of 80km or more. If you're going to travel a lot by bus, get a Coach
Holiday Ticket , which gives 1000km of travel over any two-week period
for about ¬60, from any long-distance bus station. The timetable (
Pikavuoroaikataulut ), available at all main bus stations, lists all bus
routes.
Driving, hitching and cycling
If you bring your own car to Finland, it's advisable to have a Green
Card as proof of insurance. More detailed information about driving in
Finland can be obtained from the Automobile and Touring Club of Finland,
Hameentie 105a, FIN-00550, Helsinki (tel 09/7258 4400, fax 09/7258
4460). Though roads are generally good, there can be problems with
melting snows, usually during April and May in the south and during June
in the far north. The speed limit is 40-60kph in built up areas, 100kph
on major roads, 120kph on motorways. If not signposted, the basic limit
is 80kph. Other rules of the road include using headlights when driving
outside built-up areas and the compulsory wearing of seatbelts by
drivers and all passengers; as elsewhere in Scandinavia, there are
severe penalties for drunk driving. Car rental is expensive, at ¬40-100
per day. You need a valid driving licence, at least a year's driving
experience, and to be aged at least between 19 and 25, depending on the
company.
Hitching is generally easy, and sometimes the quickest means of
transport between two spots. Finland's large student population has
helped accustom drivers to the practice, and you shouldn't have to wait
too long for a ride . For information about cycling , contact Mountain
Bike Club Finland (tel 09/611052, fax 09/454 6466) or ask for their
special booklet at the tourist office. Most of the bigger towns have at
least one cycle hire option; prices are around ¬25 per day.
Flying
With a range of discounts aimed particularly at under-26s, domestic
flights can be comparatively cheap as well as time-saving. However, the
only time you'll find flying a truly economic option is if you are
planning to visit Lapland and the far north of the country. If you're
flying into Finland check out Finnair's very reasonable through fare
deals. The company also offer a variety of off-peak summer reductions
which can be checked at travel agents or tourist offices once you're in
the country |
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