AboutJim Coll Expertise I am an expert in traveling in Finland. I am especially interested in Lapland, nature and different activities. I also have a collection of hundreads of Finland internet links. Everyone seeking for good links should contact me.
Experience I am the manager of a free club named Finland Travel Club: http://groups.msn.com/FinlandTravelClub
Expert: Jim Coll Date: 12/10/2007 Subject: visit in January 2008
Question QUESTION: My daughter and myself wish to visit Finland in January to celebrate her 18th birthday! She loves Finnish metal music and all things Finnish. We would like to spend time in Helsinki and also visit Rovaneimi for a few days. What would be the cheapest way to get around, we will fly out from Heathrow or Stanstead airpor/? Many thanks
ANSWER: Dear Denise,
Greetings from Finland!
I recommend flying from London to Tampere with Ryanair ( http://www.ryanair.com ). They have very cheap offers for January now!
It is easy to travel from Tampere to Helsinki and Rovaniemi by train. Helsinki is quite near to Tampere but a train journey from Tampere to Rovaniemi takes about 8-10 hours. You can take a night train and sleep in beds there. You find timetables and prices at http://www.vr.fi . See also http://www.vr.fi/heo/eng/lapin_matkat/lapin_matkat.htm . If you are going to travel with a train lot, it is cheapest to buy ScanRail Flexi Pass. For more details and prices see http://www.scanrail.com , please. You can buy it already in London (purchase places on their homepage).
Feel free to contact me if you have more questions or if you want to get more details.
Welcome to the Winter Wonderland!
With very best regards,
Jim
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QUESTION: Dear Jim
Thanks for your very informative answer, my daughter has always wanted to go to Tavastia and soon she can! Just a few questions about Finland in January that you could help with.
We plan to go around the 18th January - is there normally snow on the ground and does it last for a long time? We both want to see Helsinki in the snow, and the sea frozen, preferably with a blue sky!
Can you recommend a trip we can make to see wildlife at that time of year that is not too far away?
Can you suggest what clothing we should wear, in particular footwear?
What is the average temperature during January?
Do the boats still go across to the islands like Suomelinna?
If you have any other information about that time of year, it would be most helpful.
Kiitos,
Denise
ANSWER: Dear Denise,
Yes, there is normally snow on the ground and the sea is frozen in January. Perhaps there isn't much snow in the city centre, but there is snow just outside the city centre. Last three years have been warmer than earlier (even raining in January - like in London, I think). However, we have also had very snowy and very cold days. Here is the statistics for Helsinki in January: mean temperature -10 degrees Celsius (+15 Fahrenheit), max temperature +4 C (+39 F) and min temperature -31 C (-24 F). So the weather may be very variable. But in Lapland (e.g. Rovaniemi) we have the snow guarantee in January. There will be lots of snow there!
In Helsinki you need footwear which protects you both from snow, water and cold. We have big sales in January and you can buy everything here, too.
The boats still go to the island of Suomenlinna. It is a quite charmant place also in the winter. Some museums may be closed but some of them are open. Guided tours in English are arranged on Saturdays and Sundays at 1.30 pm in Suomenlinna in the winter. You find more details at http://www.suomenlinna.fi/index.php?lang=eng and http://www.suomenlinnatours.com .
SeeFinland http://www.seefinland.com also offers nice trips, e.g. a half day in the Finnish forest (in Nuuksio National Park quite near to Helsinki). Perhaps you won't see very many animals but you see very beautiful forests and nature and also lots of snow, I hope.
Welcome to the Winter Wonderland!
Don't hesitate to contact me if you have more questions.
Kindest regards,
Jim
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QUESTION: Hi Jim - I have now booked my flights and will be arriving in Helsinki on 18th January. If it is not too far I would like to travel to Takhuourvi in the Lakeland regon. Can I do this by train or bus from Helsinki and roughly how long would the journey take. Also is it easy to get around when you are there as I plan to attend an event at the Takhuourvi Piazza on 19 Jan. Many thanks Denise
Answer Hi Denise,
Unfortunately it is quite difficult to travel from Helsinki to Tahkovuori ( http://www.tahko.com ) in the municipality of Nilsiä. The distance is 435 kilometers.
You can travel by train from Helsinki to Kuopio (4-5 hours, usually you have to change trains in Kouvola, ticket price about 50 euros / person or 130 euros / group ticket for three one way) or from Helsinki to Siilinjärvi (about 5 hours, usually you have to change trains in Kouvola, ticket price about 55 euros / person or 140 euros ( group ticket for three one way). You find timetables at http://www.vr.fi/heo/eng/index.html . The InterCity train 71 from Helsinki (departure at 8.00 a.m.) to Siilinjärvi (arrival 1.05 p.m.) on January 19th is direct without train changes!
Then you have to take a taxi cab from the railway station to Tahkovuori. From Siilinjärvi to Tahkovuori the distance is 40 kilometers (30-50 minutes) ann the price 55 euros for 1-3 persons (65 euros for 4-6 persons). From Kuopio to Tahkovuori the distance is 66 kilometers (1-1.5 hours) and the price 85 euros for 1-3 persons (95 euros for 4-6 persons). Pre-booking is higly recommended. You can contact the taxi company by e-mail nilsian.taksiasema@dnainternet.net .
Remember to check also events in Tavastia (Tavastiaklubi) and Semifinal in Helsinki ( http://www.tavastiaklubi.fi/index_en.php ). K18 means that the event isn't allowed for people under 18 years.
Feel free to contact me if you have more questions!
