How to get to Finland: airports, flights and border crossings

Use this as a first filter, then confirm the exact route, fare and entry rule for your dates. Fares are 2026 estimates for a return ticket booked two to three months ahead; peak December and July fares run higher.

Step 1 — pick your gateway. Helsinki-Vantaa is the only Finnish airport with a wide long-haul network, so it is the default for a first trip that mixes Helsinki, Lakeland or the west coast with a northern leg. If Lapland is the entire trip, compare a through ticket to Rovaniemi, Kittilä or Ivalo against flying to Helsinki and taking the night train north; the through flight is faster, the train is often cheaper and saves a hotel night.

Step 2 — check the entry rule. Finland is in the Schengen area. US, UK, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand and Irish passport holders can normally enter visa-free for short tourist stays, but the 90/180-day Schengen limit applies and rules change, so confirm before booking. See the visa page for the current position.

Step 3 — book the flight. Compare a nonstop to Helsinki against a one-stop routing through a European hub; the connection is often cheaper but adds 3–6 hours. For Lapland in December, book early: seats to Kittilä and Ivalo sell out months ahead.

Step 4 — plan the arrival transfer. From Helsinki-Vantaa, the ring-rail line and the P and I commuter trains run to Helsinki central station in roughly 30 minutes, with buses as a slower alternative. From Rovaniemi airport, the centre is a short bus or taxi ride; Kittilä and Ivalo sit further from their resort villages, so pre-book a transfer in winter.

Step 5 — sort money and connectivity. Finland uses the euro and cards work almost everywhere, including on trains and buses. Buy an eSIM or a local SIM before or on arrival so you can book onward tickets on the move.

Land entry is realistic from Sweden and Norway: cross by bus or car at Tornio-Haparanda in the west, or drive the E75 from Norway to Utsjoki in the far north. The eastern border with Russia has been closed to regular passenger traffic, so do not plan a route through it without checking the current status.

By sea, overnight ferries link Helsinki with Stockholm and Tallinn, and Turku with Stockholm; a longer route runs from Travemünde in Germany. These are working ferries with cabins, so they double as a night of accommodation. Åland sits between Finland and Sweden and has its own ferry network and tax rules.

Winter travel changes the plan more than the route. Snow and ice can delay flights and trains, and December daylight in Lapland is only a few hours, so build in slack on any same-day connection to a northern resort. Travel insurance that covers weather delays and winter activities is worth having for a Lapland trip.