A bicycle (polkupyörä/pyörä in Finnish) is a very practical and popular form of transportation in Finland, and there are plenty of paved cycle tracks. Cycling is also a good way to familiarise yourself with your new surroundings. Please remember that when your bike is parked or not in use, you should always lock it, and preferably fasten it to a bicycle rack or some other solid structure. Please note that it is compulsory to use a head light on your bike when cycling in the dark. Wearing a helmet can save you from a serious brain damage so please instead of thinking how stupid the helmet looks on you, think how stupid you will look when lying in the intensive care.
Places to buy and sell second-hand bikes in Joensuu:
- “Buy and sell crap in Joensuu” in Facebook
- KISA (Kuopio International Student Association) Student Marketplace in Facebook
- Second-hand shops on-line: Kuopion kirppari (only in Finnish) ja www.tori.fi
Bicycle repair shops, second-hand shops and other students sometimes sell cheap second- hand bikes. In addition, there is an auction of lost and found items at the local police station (held a few times a year), where you may find a decent bicycle at a reasonable price. Since the auction is carried out in Finnish only, please ask a fellow Finnish student to accompany you. Information on the auctions (in Finnish only).
In Joensuu you can also rent a bike from the Community Resource Centre Citizen’s House (Kansalaistalo)
The basic fare when paid in cash in a local bus depends on the zone(s) you are travelling in. On Sundays and at night time the fare is more expensive.
You can buy bus tickets from the driver on the bus. Please be prepared to pay the exact amount or close to it. The bus driver is allowed to deny large notes, so do not try to pay for a single ticket with a EUR 50 note.
The cheapest and the most convenient way to travel on the bus is to buy a personal Waltti card for the region buses. There are two kinds of Waltti cards: Season and Value. The Season ticket is valid for 30 consecutive days at a time, during which time you can use it as often as you like. The cost depends on the number of zones you need. This is a good option for those who live further away for the city centre or the university and will be using the bus daily.
The Value card is a good option for those who do not necessarily use the bus every day. You can load between EUR 5 and EUR 500 into the card to use whenever you like. It is also cheaper, as a single ticket paid in cash is cheaper with the prepaid Waltti card.
You can buy a Waltti card from several ticket offices. You will need to take an ID or a valid student certificate with you to get a youth or student discount. There is a smalla purchase price for the Waltti card and after purchasing the card you can load more money into it at ticket offices, in city buses or online. There may be a small free for loading money into the card.
To search for bus routes, you can use the links listed below. If you have a smart-phone or a tablet, you can also download an application called “Nysse – Journey Planner” and use that. It has the public transportation schedules for some other cities in Finland as well. The app is currently available at Google Play and Windows Store.
Useful links:
For coach travel outside your campus town, you are eligible for special student rates on some coaches. You get a discount on the routes operated by Matkahuolto, if you have a valid student card and you are travelling for a minimum distance of 80 km. If you do not yet have your Student Union student card, it is possible to get a separate discount card that is valid in both long- distance buses (Matkahuolto) and trains (VR). For this, you will need a special certificate issued by the Student and Learning Services and one passport-sized photo. The discount card has a small fee and you pay it to Matkahuolto or VR. Please note that you cannot get travel discount before you have registered to the university.
The coach companies often have good on-line offers, too. Further information about coach companies and Service Points.
OnniBus offers cheap options and they require no student card.
The Student Union student card entitles you to buy discount tickets with the Finnish Railways (VR), if you are an undergraduate student (studying for a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree). The price of train tickets varies depending on which train you take and how early you book the tickets. It is best to buy tickets online. Students need to present their Student Union student card for discount when purchasing tickets at a Service Point as well to the conductor on the train. If you do not have the Finnish student card, it is possible to get the discount by showing the study certificate that you have received when you registered. Please note that you cannot get the travel discount before you have registered to the university.
Train Station
Joensuu: Itäranta 12, 80100 Joensuu
Kuopio: Asemakatu 1, 70100 Kuopio
No staff, only 2 ticket machines.
In order to drive a car in Finland you need to be at least 18 years old and you must have a valid driver’s licence. If your driver’s licence is from one of the EU or EEA member countries, it is valid in Finland as long as the license remains valid. In addition, the licences from Geneva or Vienna Road Traffic Convention countries, such as Australia, Canada, Egypt, Hong Kong, India, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, Turkey and the United States of America, are valid for two years, after which these citizens have to acquire a Finnish driver’s licence. Driver’s licences from other countries are not valid in Finland.
Useful websites:
- Driving in Finland (pdf)
- Finnish Road Safety Council → Traffic regulations in Finland
- Driving in Finland / VisitFinland
Please note the following regulations of driving in Finland:
- Seatbelts are obligatory for everyone whether sitting in the front or the back seats in the car. Children under three years of age must be seated on the back seat on a safety seat.
- Headlights are compulsory at all times around the clock.
- Winter speed limits are in force throughout the country from the beginning of November to the end of February. However, the limits can be lowered already in October and they can remain in force through April due to exceptional road weather conditions.
- Winter tires are mandatory from the beginning of December until the end of February.
- If a mobile phone is used by a driver, a hands-free device is required. According to the Finnish law, a driver is allowed to neither use nor hold a mobile phone in hand while driving.
- There is an obligatory annual inspection for cars in Finland. After every inspection, the driver receives an inspection card that states the condition of the car as well as any defects requiring service or repair.
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is strictly forbidden. There is an exact permissible limit of 0.5 per mil for alcohol in blood. A police officer can breathalyse a driver on the spot and if suspected of driving under the influence, a person may be taken to a blood test or to a police station. Driving while under the influence of drugs is also a crime. Infringement of this rule means a penalty in the form of a fine or imprisonment.
Most of the cities have metered parking areas. However, sometimes parking is free but parking time is limited. In this case, you need a parking disc, which can be obtained at petrol stations and grocery stores. The time of arrival must be set first and the parking disc must be displayed on the dashboard. The time of arrival is the following hour or half-hour depending on which one is earlier.
Please note that parking on campus is subject to fees. UEF staff and students can get a parking permit via an online system.
In order to rent a car you need a valid driver’s licence and preferably at least one year of driving experience. Rental companies require the driver to be at least 20 years of age for passenger cars, but age regulation may vary by vehicle category. Drivers under the age of 25 may incur a young driver surcharge. Please also note that some car rental companies may require a credit card. Be prepared to show proof of your identity when renting a car.
Some car rental companies
Taking a taxi is quite expensive in Finland. If you take a taxi, make sure you check the price from the driver beforehand. The price of a journey can change depending on the day or the time of the day. It is usually cheaper to share a taxi with your friends whenever possible.
There are several taxi companies and they have different prices so comparing the prices can be a bit tricky.
Taxis can be ordered by using apps (such as Valopilkku) or by phone. You can find the taxi companies in the internet.
The Joensuu Airport is located approximately 11 km from the Joensuu city centre. There is an airport bus operating between the airport and Joensuu on weekdays (Mon–Fri). The fare fee is different for adults and children. Bus service applies only to domestic flights on the route Joensuu–Helsinki–Joensuu. The bus will wait up to 45 minutes for a flight that has been delayed. If you miss the bus, or the schedule does not coincide with your flight, you can also take a taxi. There are often taxis available at the airport, but if not, you can order one.
The Kuopio Airport is located approximately 14 km from the Kuopio city centre. There is a bus operating between the airport and Kuopio. For more information on fares, routes and timetables, please see here: https://vilkku.kuopio.fi/en. If you arrive late at night or during the weekend and there is no bus available, a shared airport taxi is the cheapest way to travel from the airport to your apartment. Fare to the Kuopio city centre, Särkiniemi, Neulamäki and Puijonlaakso may vary so please check the fare from the driver beforehand. If you are travelling together with two or more persons, the regular taxi has been cheaper. There is no need to call the airport taxi at the Kuopio airport. You can just ask or search for the airport taxi sign. However, if you wish to travel from Kuopio to the airport, please call the taxi no later than three hours before the departure of your flight. Please specify that you wish to order an airport taxi. The airport taxi does not operate on weekends (from 3am on Saturday to 4am on Monday).
Some airlines:
If you decide to travel to Finland by a ferry, there are a couple of good ferry connections. For example, you can take a ferry from Travemünde, Germany to Helsinki as well as from Stockholm, Sweden to Helsinki or Turku.
Some ferry connections: