Changes

The starting place as going westwards. About 25 kilometers after Joensuu, take the road number 23, which turns left (towards Varkaus). In Varkaus: To go to Jyväskylä or Tampere, stay on the road number 23. To go to Helsinki, take the highway 5 towards south (towards Mikkeli).  When going to Helsinki or Lahti, it seems more logical to take the road #6, which leaves southwards, than go through Varkaus to #5. Both of the routes have their pros and cons; #6 is a more quiet road compared to the #5. Nevertheless it's not impossible to get to Helsinki or Lahti by taking #6. On #5 you might have to hh on-ramps or other not-that-suitable hh-spots while on #6 there are a plenty of bus stops every once in a while. If you're in a hurry, take #5 (Varkaus) but if you've got more time, #6 goes through some pretty typical Finnish landscapes and just less than 10 kilometers from the Russian border! If you end up choosing #6, see the hh-spot when going to Lappeenranta.