Difference between revisions of "Finland"

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In the south, it is a good idea to avoid motorways and opt for smaller local roads. Though there is less traffic, there is more room for cars to stop. Finnish drivers will only stop where they feel it is safe, so try to thumb at bus stops.
 
In the south, it is a good idea to avoid motorways and opt for smaller local roads. Though there is less traffic, there is more room for cars to stop. Finnish drivers will only stop where they feel it is safe, so try to thumb at bus stops.
 
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*I disagree with most of the above. See the [http://hitchwiki.org/en/Talk:Finland Talk-page].--[[User:Astikain|Astikain]] 14:40, 6 September 2012 (CEST)
 
*I disagree with most of the above. See the [http://hitchwiki.org/en/Talk:Finland Talk-page].--[[User:Astikain|Astikain]] 14:40, 6 September 2012 (CEST)
 
__TOC__
 
  
 
=== Regions ===
 
=== Regions ===
 +
[[File:Finland european roads.png|thumb|250px|Finnish motorways (blue) with their European numbers and national roads (red and yellow)]]
 +
[[File:Erga-and-a-friendly-finnish-man.jpg|thumb|240px|right|Hitchhiker Erga and a friendly Finnish driver]]
 +
[[File:Erga-camping-in-finland.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Find info on camping on [[:nomad:Finland|Nomadwiki]]]]
 
* [[Lapland]]
 
* [[Lapland]]
  
== Border crossing ==
+
== Safety ==
 +
Hitchhiking is quite safe in Finland. As always, common sense is your friend.
  
There are no border checkpoints between Finland, Sweden and Norway. You can cross these borders without stopping.  
+
== Culture ==
 +
Hitchhiking used to be popular in the 70's and 80's, and many drivers will tell the hitchhiker(s) they've hitched themselves back in their days. Nowadays this practice is rather rare among Finns, but there are always some, especially in summer time around music festivals. Hitching in Finland might be difficult during the [[winter]] time because lack of daylight. The weather differences in Finland seem to effect greatly how well people pick you up. Sunny weather might help you a great deal because it makes people more happy and open-minded.
  
* [[Torfyanovka-Valimaa border crossing]] with [[Russia]]
+
Hitchhiking seems to get easier the more North you go in Finland, because towns get smaller and people feel more open to help others. However, the highways are better in the South and there is more traffic.
* [[Brusnichnoe-Nuijamaa border crossing]] with [[Russia]]
 
 
 
[[File:Washing car window in the North of Finland.JPG|thumb|240px|Hitchhiker [[User:guaka|guaka]] washing away mosquito corpses]]
 
 
 
=== From/to Sweden ===
 
Ferries to Stockholm go from [[Helsinki]] and [[Turku]]. The latter is considerably cheaper. Both ferries also stop in [[Maarianhamina]] ([[Åland Islands|Ahvenanmaa]]), or [[Mariehamn]] ([[Åland Islands|Åland]]), as its Swedish-speaking population calls it. It is possible to buy a deck ticket to Maarianhamina only and yet ride the whole way as nobody is checking. The two companies which run ferries between Finland and Sweden are [http://www.vikingline.fi ''Viking Line''] and [http://www.silja.com ''Silja Line'']. Both of the companies are focused on bringing the customers a cruise-experience, and are bound to be tacky. ''Viking Line'' sells cheaper tickets without a cabin, too, which would be rather useless on the daytime trips between [[Turku]] and [[Stockholm]] anyway. As of August 2009, a morning ferry from Stockholm to Turku costs 15 euros, and Stockholm-Helsinki - 55 euros (both without a cabin, although prices vary according to season and special offers can put the price belowe 10 euros).
 
 
 
''Silja Line'' is the posher of the two, and thus more expensive. It's still tacky, though.
 
 
 
The ''Viking Line'' cruise ships have free tourist maps of Turku at their information desks on board. Be aware, though, that if you take a daytime cruise (which is about half the price), you will arrive in Turku at night. During the autumn, winter and early spring that means no daylight which is no help for hitchhiking. In winter nights, extremely cold temperatures might occur as well.
 
 
 
A decidedly more exciting option is to do island hopping on the small  [http://www.alandstrafiken.ax/en ''car ferries''] running from Turku to Maarianhamina. For footpassengers this option is free. You can continue to Sweden with one of the above mentioned companies or [https://www.eckeroline.fi/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/TopCategoriesDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10151 "Eckerö Lines"]
 
 
 
There are also ferries crossing the Bothnic Gulf from the Finnish city of [[Vaasa]] to the Swedish city of [[Umea]] and vice-versa. The ferry goes eight times a week (see the schedule [http://www.umeavasa.com/en/index.php# here]). Crossing will cost you around 30 euro but it is a quite comfortable trip.
 
 
 
=== From/to Estonia ===
 
[[File:Erga-and-a-friendly-finnish-man.jpg|thumb|240px|right|Hitchhiker Erga and a friendly Finnish driver]]
 
There is no land connection between Finland and [[Estonia]]. There are many daily ferries from [[Helsinki]] to [[Tallinn]]. It takes 1-3 hours (most ferries 2h), costs about 20-50 euros (the cheapest tickets you should try to book in advance).
 
 
 
You can hitch sail and motor boats from Tallinn and Pirita marinas during the summer. Especially Sunday mornings are good when Finns return from their weekend trips.
 
 
 
Cars pay also per passanger so it's not possible to hitch a car to the ferry for free.
 
 
 
====Ferry companies====
 
* [http://www.tallinksilja.com/ Tallink & Silja Line]
 
* [http://www.vikingline.com/ Viking Line]
 
* [https://www.eckeroline.fi/en Eckerö Line]
 
* [http://www.lindaliini.ee/en/ Linda Line]
 
  
 
== Language ==
 
== Language ==
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* To hitchhike = '''Liftata'''  
 
* To hitchhike = '''Liftata'''  
 
* A ride = '''Kyyti'''
 
* A ride = '''Kyyti'''
* Thank you = '''Kiitos'''
+
* Thank you very much = '''Kiitos paljon'''
 
* Where are you driving to? = '''Minne ajat?'''
 
* Where are you driving to? = '''Minne ajat?'''
 
+
* I don't speak Finnish = '''En puhu suomea'''
== Safety ==
 
Hitchhiking is quite safe in Finland. As always, common sense is your friend.
 
 
 
== Sleeping ==
 
[[File:Erga-camping-in-finland.jpg|thumb|250px|right|[[Camping]] is legal almost anywhere in Finland, just stay slightly out of sight and you can even camp next to [[highway|motorways]].]]
 
 
 
Like the other Nordic countries, Finland has everyman's right (''jokamiehenoikeus'') meaning that it is allowed to camp on any land provided that you stay a few hundred metres from houses, do not start a fire, and do not more than one night in any given place. While everyman's right technically doesn't apply inside of towns and cities, there is usually no problem with camping in isolated areas of parks -- even if police see you, they are more concerned with gypsies than with backpackers.
 
 
 
In Southern Finland and the Åland Islands, the forests and grassy areas are full of ticks, so wear clothing that covers your legs and check occasionally that you haven't been bitten.
 
 
 
[[File:Finland european roads.png|thumb|250px|Finnish motorways (blue) with their European numbers and national roads (red and yellow)]]
 
 
 
== Culture ==
 
Hitchhiking used to be popular in the 70's and 80's, and many drivers will tell the hitchhiker(s) they've hitched themselves back in their days. Nowadays this practice is rather rare among Finns, but there are always some, especially in summer time around music festivals. Hitching in Finland might be difficult during the [[winter]] time because lack of daylight.
 
  
 
== Links ==
 
== Links ==
 +
{{nomadwiki}}
 
* [[:fi:Etusivu|Finnish Hitchwiki]]
 
* [[:fi:Etusivu|Finnish Hitchwiki]]
 
* IRC Channel [[Liftari @ IRCnet]]
 
* IRC Channel [[Liftari @ IRCnet]]
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* [http://www.cs.helsinki.fi/u/kjokisal/liftaus/ Hitchhiker's guide to Europe] − a hitchhiking site by a Finn
 
* [http://www.cs.helsinki.fi/u/kjokisal/liftaus/ Hitchhiker's guide to Europe] − a hitchhiking site by a Finn
 
* [http://www.cs.helsinki.fi/u/ssmoland/peukalo/ Liftausvinkkejä] − hitchhiking tips in Finnish
 
* [http://www.cs.helsinki.fi/u/ssmoland/peukalo/ Liftausvinkkejä] − hitchhiking tips in Finnish
* [http://www.hitchbase.com/orte.php?LANG=eng&l_id=66 Hitchbase] page for Finland with somewhat outdated tips for locations
+
* [http://laavu.org/ List of Laavus] − a site with all the Laavus (hiking shelters) in Finland. [http://laavu.org/lataa.php?paikkakunta=kaikki/ Download] the gpx-file.
* [http://books.google.com/books?id=ZY_XZW9AtYgC&printsec=frontcover&dq=finland Lonely Planet − Finland eBook (2003) ''preview'']
+
{{wikipedia-link}}
* [http://www.kyydit.net Kyydit.net] - [[rideshare]] network for Finland
 
* [http://www.kimppa.net Kimppa.net] - another [[rideshare]] network for Finland
 
* [https://www.facebook.com/groups/451156288330710/ Truck drivers offering rides on FB group]
 
* [http://finterest.fi/ Finterest.fi] - interactive map of Finland (e.g. free campings and fireplaces)
 
 
 
  
 
{{Cities Finland}}
 
{{Cities Finland}}
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[[Category:Finland| ]]
 
[[Category:Finland| ]]
 
[[Category:Northern Europe]]
 
[[Category:Northern Europe]]
 
[[trash:Finland]]
 
[[wikipedia:Finland]]
 
[[nomad:Finland]]
 
  
 
[[de:Finnland]]
 
[[de:Finnland]]
 
[[fi:Suomi]]
 
[[fi:Suomi]]
 
{{move_to_nomadwiki}}
 

Latest revision as of 10:19, 11 May 2021

Flag of Finland Finland
Information
Language: Finnish, Swedish; recognised regional languages: Sami
Capital: Helsinki
Population: 5,301,701
Currency: Euro (€)
Hitchability: <rating country='fi' />
Meet fellow hitchhikers on Trustroots or BeWelcome
<map lat='64.8' lng='25.9' zoom='4' view='0' width='300' height='350' country='Finland'/>

Finland is a part of the Northern Europe and one of the Nordic countries. It is a member state of the European Union as well as the Schengen Agreement. Its neighbouring countries are Sweden, Norway and Russia, but the most probable transit country on your way hitchhiking there from Southern Europe is Estonia as the Via Baltica (E67) road connects Finland with Prague via the Baltic States and Poland.

It is illegal to hitchhike directly on motorways (moottoritie) and some two-land expressways roads (moottoriliikennetie) in Finland. You can recognize these from the green signs. On these roads, you can hitch from on-ramps (which often have bus stops that drivers will stop at) and petrol stations. The cars cannot stop in crossing areas, and some drivers who disobeyed this rule and picked up hitchhikers have been fined.

In the south, it is a good idea to avoid motorways and opt for smaller local roads. Though there is less traffic, there is more room for cars to stop. Finnish drivers will only stop where they feel it is safe, so try to thumb at bus stops.

  • I disagree with most of the above. See the Talk-page.--Astikain 14:40, 6 September 2012 (CEST)

Regions

Finnish motorways (blue) with their European numbers and national roads (red and yellow)
Hitchhiker Erga and a friendly Finnish driver
Find info on camping on Nomadwiki

Safety

Hitchhiking is quite safe in Finland. As always, common sense is your friend.

Culture

Hitchhiking used to be popular in the 70's and 80's, and many drivers will tell the hitchhiker(s) they've hitched themselves back in their days. Nowadays this practice is rather rare among Finns, but there are always some, especially in summer time around music festivals. Hitching in Finland might be difficult during the winter time because lack of daylight. The weather differences in Finland seem to effect greatly how well people pick you up. Sunny weather might help you a great deal because it makes people more happy and open-minded.

Hitchhiking seems to get easier the more North you go in Finland, because towns get smaller and people feel more open to help others. However, the highways are better in the South and there is more traffic.

Language

The language most people in Finland speak is Finnish which isn't a Scandinavian language. The country is officially bilingual as there is a large Swedish-speaking minority on the west coast of Finland. Most people speak English too, so most of the foreign hitchhikers won't have communication problems in Finland.

Some older people, however, might have no English language knowledge at all, so you might as well learn some basic Finnish phrases. Note, that with a knowledge of Swedish, however, you can come pretty far (it is useful all over Scandinavia).

Useful Finnish expressions for hitchhikers

  • Hello = Terve
  • Hi = Moi or Hei
  • Hitchhiking = Liftaaminen
  • To hitchhike = Liftata
  • A ride = Kyyti
  • Thank you very much = Kiitos paljon
  • Where are you driving to? = Minne ajat?
  • I don't speak Finnish = En puhu suomea

Links

Check Nomadwiki for info on accommodation, showers etc. or Trashwiki for dumpsters...and share your wisdom :)

WikipediaW.png Wikipedia has additional encyclopedic information on Finland


Finnish cities with more than 20.000 inhabitants

> 500.000: Helsinki

100.000-500.000: TampereEspooVantaaTurkuJyväskyläOuluLahtiKuopio

50.000-100.000: PoriSeinäjokiHämeenlinnaRovaniemiVaasaLappeenrantaKouvolaKotkaSalo

20.000-50.000: MikkeliPorvooKokkolaHyvinkääNurmijärviLohjaRaumaJärvenpääKajaaniTuusulaKirkkonummiKeravaNokiaKaarinaYlöjärviKangasalaRaseborgRiihimäkiImatraVihtiSavonlinnaSastamalaRaisioVarkausJämsäKemiRaaheTornioIisalmiHollolaHaminaSiilinjärviValkeakoskiLempääläÄänekoskiHeinolaMäntsälä