All about driving your own car to Finland in 2021! The nuances of passing the border control, the quality of Finnish roads, interesting routes around the country and places for recreation. Bonus - tourist advice.
Attention... The information in this article may be out of date due to restrictions during a pandemic. Check with official sources for the possibility of crossing borders in 2021.
Car travel to Finland is very popular with Russians. The road to the northern country does not take much time, and the travel expenses are quite budgetary. For residents of the North-West of Russia, this is one of the cheapest ways to get to Europe. During a trip by car in Finland, it is interesting to get acquainted with the original architecture of Finnish cities, attend local festivals, visit museums and natural parks.
How long to go to Finland
The road from St. Petersburg to Helsinki takes 5 hours (388 km). In order to get to the border point closest to the city, you need to overcome only 150 km. From St. Petersburg they leave for Vyborg or make a path through Pargolovo and Sestroretsk. The further route depends on the upcoming route in Finland. For Helsinki, this is the E18 highway.
The road from Moscow takes much longer. It takes 15 hours to get from the Russian capital to Helsinki (1115 km) - if you don't have to stay at the border. Experienced tourists are advised to start from Moscow at night, as long as there are no traffic jams on the streets and when leaving the city. At the entrances, it is convenient to use the toll section of the M11 motorway, which bypasses Vyshny Volochok.
Advice. If you want to save on fuel, fill the tank completely before crossing the border.
Border crossing
To enter Finland, tourists need a Schengen visa and a passport valid for at least 3 months on the date of the end of the trip. Differences: the questionnaire is filled out online, and the insurance is bought from an insurance company accredited at the embassy, and it must begin on the day of the application for a visa.
Usually Finnish Schengen is issued in 6-9 days. It costs 35 euros plus 26.75 euros for the consular fee. An express visa is made for 70 euros. Find out how to get a visa to Finland.
You can cross the border in several places. Four points work around the clock: Svetlogorsk-Imatra, Torfyanovka-Vaalimaa, Brusnichnoe-Nuijamaa and Vyartsilla-Niirala. The border crossings at Salla-Salla and Lutta-Vartius are open from 7:00 to 21:00.
Most of the cars at the border accumulate on weekends, on pre-holiday days, as well as at 9:00 and from 15:00 to 16:00. The border control procedure takes from 0.5 to 1 hour, if there is no large influx of vehicles.
Border checkpoints map
In 2021, tourists who travel to Finland by car at the border submit a package of documents for control:
- passport with a valid visa;
- driver's license;
- vehicle passport;
- Green Card policy;
- power of attorney for the car;
- for children - a passport;
- for a dog - a veterinary passport.
When traveling to Finland by car, you can have both an international and Russian driver's license. If there is no Green Card, you will have to buy the policy at the border. However, it will cost more - 100 euros.
What you need to know about a trip to Finland by car and how to prepare a car:
- Entry with completely tinted windows and the use of light-shielding films is prohibited. The windshield must transmit at least 75% light and the side windows 70%.
- In the winter months, the country is allowed into the country only on studded tires, and in spring, summer and autumn - on summer tires. Do not let cars with different tires on the same axle, as well as cars with studded and non-studded tires at the same time.
- At the border checkpoint, it is imperative to check for leaks of gasoline and oil, the health of the headlights, brakes, the working condition of the mudguards and steering. Dents, rust or unusual car tuning are of no interest to anyone.
- In addition to gasoline in the tank, it is allowed to carry no more than 10 liters of fuel in a canister. This should be the same fuel used to fill the car.
Passing the border of Finland. Advice
Finnish roads
Driving in Finland on your own is a lot of fun! All highways are flat. There are no toll roads, but control over the observance of traffic rules has been strengthened - there are many video cameras. There are plenty of seating areas along the slopes with tables, benches, toilets and waste bins. You can stop and eat in cafes and gas stations.
There are speed limits throughout the country: for large highways - 120 km / h, for highways - 90 km / h, on country roads - 80 km / h, in settlements - 50 km / h. In winter, the speed decreases.
When traveling in Finland by car, observe the local regulations:
- All passengers are required to wear seat belts.
- The driver must always use the low beam.
- Children below 135 cm are not allowed to sit in the front seat, and a baby under 3 years old must be carried fastened in a car seat.
- Mobile phone calls are only allowed with a wireless headset.
- Significant fines or even arrest are provided for drunk driving, driving a red car, speeding violations, and refusing to let a pedestrian pass in a designated place.
Paid parking and limited-time free parking are available in cities and smaller towns. Fines for parking violations range from 10 to 40 euros.
When planning your budget for traveling to Finland by car in 2021, consider the cost of fuel. It's expensive here. The average price of 1 liter of gasoline is 95 - 1.56 euros, petrol 98 - 1.64 euros, and diesel - 1.39 euros.
Advice:
- In Finland it is forbidden to use or even carry a radar detector in a car.
- Don't forget to upload maps of Finland to your navigator.
- In case of violation of traffic rules, the video recorder sends the number of your car to the customs. When leaving the country, offenders are asked to pay a fine. If you refuse, you will be deprived of your next entry visa. Keep in mind that when paying a fine at a Finnish bank, 5% is charged for the transfer. An important detail: local bank branches are open only on weekdays.
- Be careful on the country roads in Finland. Sometimes moose cross the track unexpectedly. This usually occurs in the spring when the animals are looking for convenient pastures for feeding. To avoid trouble, follow the warning signs, observe the speed limit and distance.
Housing prices in Finland
If a trip in Finland by car is designed for several days, you need to resolve the issue of accommodation. Hotels in the center of Helsinki are expensive. According to tourists, comfortable rooms are offered by the hotels 4 * Glo Hotel Kluuvi and Original Sokos Hotel Vaakuna Helsinki. However, they cost 16,000-20,000 rubles per night.
Much cheaper, for 4200-5400 rubles, you can stay in 2 * hotels with parking, which are located at some distance from the center of Helsinki. For example, at Kongressikoti Hotel or Hotel Sofia. It should be borne in mind that budget options need to be booked in advance, as they are in great demand among tourists.
It is convenient to spend the night in cheap suburban hotels when traveling in Finland by car. The 3 * Seinäjoen leirintäalue hotel complex is 4.3 km from the center of Seinäjoki. It is a well-equipped campsite surrounded by a garden with a terrace and a children's playground. Some rooms have a kitchenette with a microwave. The prices here are quite affordable. A place to set up a tent costs 1179 rubles, and a double room in a chalet costs 4400 rubles per night.
If you want to live in nature, rent cottages and small houses.Prices start at RUB 3,000 and depend on proximity to Helsinki, airports and popular tourist attractions. Holiday Village Himmerki and Villa Wästä-Räkki received good reviews from tourists.
Advice. In roadside cafes and restaurants that are far from the border, English is not always spoken.
Travel itinerary in Finland
Sputnik and Tripster - interesting excursions in Finland in Russian.
What to see on your own trip in Finland by car? Most tourists start their trip from the capital of the country. Helsinki is a beautiful and hospitable city. Despite its high status, it has a calm atmosphere and measured pace of life.
In summer, you can visit the local beaches that are located on the coast Vantaa river and nearby islands. The main sights of Helsinki are located in the city center. These are Senate Square, Lutheran and Orthodox cathedrals, a monument to the composer Sibelius, Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, Temppelinaukio Rock Church and Sveaborg Sea Fortress.
Connoisseurs of unique architecture, Finnish furniture, painting and glassware from Helsinki travel to the west of Finland - to Seinäjoki... The road there takes a little more than 4 hours (360 km). Seinäjoki is located in a picturesque river valley and is famous for its large architectural complex. It was designed by the famous architect Alvar Aalto, who is often referred to as the father of modernism in Northern Europe. The complex includes six buildings and a bell tower 65 m high.
3.5 km from the city center, on the site of a rich noble estate, there is a park and museum zone Ternyavya... A trip by car to Finland is well suited to one of the popular holidays Seinäjoki: Provinssi Rock Festival, Tango Festival, Solar Sound Music Festival or Vauhtiajot Race & Rock Bike & Rock Festival.
On the way to Seinäjoki lies Iittala... One of the most famous art glass factories in the country, Iittala, is located in a modest village. Workshops of a glass-blowing factory and a glass museum are open for tourists.
Near Seinäjoki there is a village Nuutajärvi... The history of the local glass-blowing factory goes back over 225 years. This is the oldest glass-blowing production in the country, where craftsmen and artists create unique products from colored glass. In the building of the former warehouse, built in the 19th century, there is a shop selling souvenirs and gifts made of glass.
During a trip in Finland by car in 2.5 hours from Seinäjoki it is not difficult to reach the city of Jyväskylä, where he lived and worked for many years. architect Alvar Aalto... A museum with glassware, original lamps and Finnish furniture is open for tourists.
Conclusions
Pros of traveling by car to Finland in 2021:
- Traveling by private car is cheaper than an airplane or a train journey.
- The machine makes us much more mobile. For one autotrip, you can see more interesting places and get to places where public transport does not go.
- There is no need to pay for excursions and bus tickets.
Costs and inconveniences:
- Strict parking regulations.
- Expensive gasoline.
- Fines in Finland are higher than in Russia.
- Language problems when using a Finnish car service.
In any case, the positive aspects of traveling by car in Finland significantly overshadow the disadvantages of an independent autotrip.
