Plan your travel to Finland and to HAMK campuses

Packing your luggage

Make sure to check Finnish Customs Control TULLI for information on packing your luggage. Pay special attention to the required travel documents and the possible restrictions on bringing your personal items. In addition, HAMK also requires our international students to bring certain documents and items. Check the followings for more information.

Travelling to Finland

When moving to Finland, remember to bring with you important documents, such as passport, identity documents, residence permit, etc. Remember to check:

• Passports and other important travel documents required by Finnish Border Guard RAJA, which are compulsory to have when crossing the borders.
• Information on approved vaccinations and required certificates for entering Finland by Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare THL, which are necessary to have during pandemic.
• Your acceptance letter from HAMK as you might be asked to show this document when crossing the Finnish border.

Studying at HAMK

• BYOD – Bring Your Own Device

BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) refers to the use of your personal devices for study and work (recommendation of devices’ specification included). The management and organisation of teaching and learning at HAMK have been digitalised. Your studies at HAMK will not always be tied to any specific times or classroom facilities. Your studies will include digital learning environments and materials. You can find the guidelines for utilising HAMK digital tools at Digipedagogical guidelines.

• Original certificates related to your studies and work

To register your arrival at HAMK, you need to present your identity card or passport, residence permit (if applicable to your case), and the original school certificates with their official translations into either Finnish, Swedish, or English.

If you plan to develop your career in Finland, you should also bring the original work certificates with you. In Finland, employers usually request the original work certificates to be sent during or after the recruitment process.

It is good to have your certificates notarised. If the certificates are not in one of the three languages: Finnish, Swedish or English, official translation is required.

Living in Finland

• Clothing

There is a famous saying in Finnish “there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing”. HAMK campuses are in the areas affected by subarctic climate conditions. Finnish seasons are very diverse. Winters are cold with a lot of snow, temperatures below 0°C and short days. On the other hand, summers may be warm and the longest day in southern Finland lasts for nearly 20 hours.

You need proper clothing for different types of weather conditions. Luckily, there are many shopping opportunities in Finland where you can always get the right clothing you need. Shopping for used clothing from second-hand stores is very popular among young people, as sustainable living is highly valued.

If you are preparing what to wear when first arriving in Finland, verify the weather conditions at the time of your landing online and prepare accordingly.

Shopping opportunities can be found at HAMK accommodation and living and leisure time webpages.

Read more

InfoFinland: Climate in Finland

Finnish Meteorological Institute: Weather in Finland

This is Finland: Living everyday life sustainably in Finland

• Medicines

You may bring medicines prescribed personally to you by the doctor from your country to Finland. Note that there are control rules regarding the quantity of medicines that you can bring and the documents of proof that you need to have. More information can be found from import restrictions on medicines by Finnish Customs Control RAJA.

• Others

Remember to check Finnish Customs TULLI for import controls of food and consumer goods before you travel to Finland. Prepare your luggage accordingly to ensure a safe and smooth trip. For more information, see also the frequently asked questions section on TULLI´s website.

Travelling with a pet

If you are travelling to Finland with a pet, it is your responsibility to check the pet import requirements. You can refer to the information on travelling with your pet website by Finnish Customs Control TULLI. You can check with Finnish Food Authority for the required documents.

Local public transport

Finland is a large country with considerable distances between its municipalities. Yet, public transport works well within and in between cities. You can travel to almost everywhere in Finland by bus or by train. You can also fly to some destinations within the country. Some bigger Finnish cities can offer transport services by tram and, in case of the capital – Helsinki, also by metro. Within cities, you can reach suburban areas with local transport. In Finland, you can get student discounts for public transport.

To plan your travel within Finland, use route services perille.fi to get your itinerary suggestions. For example, you can type in “Helsinki airport” as the place of departure and one of HAMK´s campuses as the place of destination. The service will provide you with itinerary suggestions.

Information on COVID-19

For the time being, The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) recommends wearing a facial mask when using public transport. Read also: When should a mask be used? By Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare THL.

Nationwide transport

By train

The rail network in Finland stretches from Helsinki to Kolari in Lapland. VR is the Finnish Railway Service. You can check the routes and stations on the VR website. Some train services and parts of the routes may be replaced by buses due to track work. Those bus transport services are organised by VR, so you do not need to get extra tickets. Read more about the replacement buses.

By bus

Another option to travel in between cities in Finland is by bus. There are three major bus connection services providers in Finland.

Matkahuolto (there is also national parcel transport service provided by Matkahuolto. Matkahuolto is used as a public transport in some cities. See the section below for more information.)

Onnibus

Express Bus

The best way to find out which bus suits you the most is to visit bus operators´ websites. You can also use route services perille.fi to get more detailed itinerary suggestions.

Local transport by major city

There are different public means of transport available in different cities in Finland. When you are travelling inside a city, it is good to use the local public transport route planner to navigate and to get the tickets.

• Helsinki Region

Local transport and journey planner:

HSL

HSL area and zones (you need to check the zones you travel through and buy a ticket accordingly.)

Taxi:

Taksi Helsinki, phone number: +358 (0)1000700

Airport taxi (shared airport taxi for going to and coming from the airport)

Uber Helsinki

Bike:

HSL City Bikes

There are also electric scooters available on the streets. You can scan the QR code on the scooter and follow the instructions from different service providers.

Ferry:

The Helsinki – Suomenlinna ferry is operated by the Helsinki public transport HSL. You can search its timetables using the HSL journey planner. Search Suomenlinna as the destination.

• Häme Region (Kanta Häme, Evo, Forssa, Lepaa, Mustiala, and Riihimäki campus)

Local transport and journey planner:

Reittiopas

Tickets and prices

Waltti travel card

Taxi:

Taxi Häme phone number: +358 (0)100 0700

Bike:

There are also electric scooters available on the streets. You can scan the QR code on the scooter and follow the instructions from different service providers.

• Tampere Region (Pirkanmaa, Valkeakoski campus)

Local transport and journey planner:

Nysse

Tickets and zones

Travel card

Taxi:

Taxi Tampere, phone number: +358 (0)1004131

Bike:

Nysse City bikes

There are also electric scooters available on the streets. You can scan the QR code on the scooter and follow the instructions from different service providers.

Other means of transport

In Finland, it is also possible to travel by transport means other than public transport.

By plane

There are about 20 airports in Finland and some of them have regular international flights. Helsinki-Vantaa airport is the largest airport in Finland. The northernmost airport is Ivalo airport. Finnair is the largest Finnish national airline. The airline offers both international flights and domestic flights. If you choose to take this airline, refer to its checklist for safe travelling and tips for sustainable travel.

By car

Finland has right-hand traffic. You need to have a valid driving license in order to drive in Finland. A driving license issued by European Union Member States is valid in Finland without limitations. If your driving license has been issued by a country outside the EU, please be sure to check if it is valid on Ajokortti-info website.

Be aware of the animals you may encounter on the road and prepare essentials to drive in winter if you choose to travel in Finland by car. Read the guide to driving in Finland by Visit Finland for more information.

If you plan on renting a car, check a list of rental services providers.

It is good to know that car services in Finland are expensive. It is compulsory to have a car insurance. If you plan to buy a car in Finland, it is wise to get a used car instead of a new one. Here is a search engine for both new and used cars: Nettiauto. You can also check a list of physical stores where you can buy a car. In Finland, if you purchase a car from a company-based trader, there is usually a six-month warranty. Whereas if you purchase a car from a private person, there is no such warranty.

By bike

Finland has well-established cycling roads. HAMK campuses can also be accessed by bike. Here is a list of places where you can purchase a bike. Secondhand online store Tori is also an option. In major cities, there are also city bikes which you can rent.

Helsinki region: HSL City Bikes

Tampere region: Nysse City bikes

There are also electric scooters available on the streets in those regions. You can scan the QR code on the scooter and follow the instructions from different service providers.

Travel and traffic vocabulary FI – EN

Below is some common travel and traffic vocabulary that can help you navigate through Finland.

Vehicles

auto – car (NB: linja-auto – bus)

bussi – bus

juna – train

raitiovaunu – tram

metro – subway

taksi – taxi

joukkoliikenne – public transport

Locations

katu – street

tie – road

kuja – alley

pyörätie – bicycle lane

asema – station

Linja-auto-asema – bus station

Matkakeskus – travel centre

lentoasema – airport

bussipysäkki – bus stop

bensa-asema – petrol/gas station

huoltoasema – service station

People

autonkuljettaja (written) / autokuski – car driver

bussinkuljettaja (written) / bussikuski (spoken) – bus driver

taksinkuljettaja (written) / taksinkuski (spoken) – taxi driver

pyöräilijä – cyclist

jalankulkija – pedestrian

matkustaja – traveller

Verbs

nousta – to get on (e.g. bus)

lähteä pois – to get off

ajaa – to drive

ajaa kolari – to have an accident

kävellä – to walk

kääntyä – to turn

matkustaa – to travel

odottaa – to wait (e.g., for the bus)

pysähtyä – to stop

pyöräillä – to cycle

tankata – to refuel

maksaa – to pay, to buy

Safety and smooth travel

nopeus – speed

nopeusrajoitus – speed limit

ruuhka-aika – rush hour

liikennevalot – traffic lights

kypärä – helmet

vakuutus – insurance

onnettomuus – accident