1,345
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Hitchhiking seems pretty easy in the Northern part of Finland. It could be a good idea to avoid motorways and opt for smaller local roads once you get closer to Helsinki - sure, there will be less traffic, however, you will get more space for the cars to stop, and avoid a chance of getting stuck on some unlit motorway ramp in the middle of nowhere (consider the early darkness when hitchhiking in autumn/winter!)
Since Finland mostly lacks a motorway network, most of the hitchhiking happens in the "classical manner", standing thumb up on roadside. While doing this, be aware that the Finnish drivers are a lot more careful in traffic than drivers elsewhere in Europe. They will only stop if the place is super-safe. This means a bus stop or similar. Even if there is a bus-stop-sized widening in the road, it does not help if it is unpaved.. Travellers not taking this into account has caused Finland to be known among foreigners as a difficult country to hitchhike, although it isn't actually worse than other western countries if you get around the culture of requiring crazy amounts of safety.
[[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 [[motorways]].]]
When on-board, during warmer time of the year you might go up outside to enjoy the scenery of the archipelagos of Stockholm or Turku.
Be aware as well of a constant attempt to lure people to buy as much tax-free alcohol and some other things on the ferries. It really isn't much more cheaper, though, than buying them on land. So, do bring a book. Usually there are free Playstation or XBox games at the kids-section to spend the time, plus very often other backpackers wander around (you might as well have a chat with them). You can also try to spot small islands severely damaged by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Cormorant Great cormorants] a few hours off Stockholm.
There are Swedish [http://www.birka.se ''Birka Cruises''] boats cruising the sea, too.
More info about boats in the region: [http://www.makupalat.fi/Categories.aspx?classID=aef30d12-31ab-407f-89d6-526dd5d637f5 here] (Sweden, Estonia, Germany + lake tourism)
=== From/to Norway ===
Its possible to hitch from lapland. Aim for Kilpisjärvi down the E8. You do not go into Sweden. If going South down the E8 its possible to go on to Oulu. There is much less traffic up there so longer rides are more common. Just after Oulu there is a service station that is quite busy. There is no customs stopping, unless there is a new car that has not travelled that way before. Then you may get lifts at the border. There is a lot of tourism there and wilderness huts for free staying are possible to find.
=== From/to [[Russia]] ===
'''Note that as of 2006:'''
* No walking is permitted on any of existing Finnish-Russian border checkpoints.
* ''Vaalimaa–Torfianovka'' border checkpoint is permitted to cross by cycling.
* Russian visa can not be issued at the border checkpoint.
The most important border checkpoints to Russia ([[St. Petersburg]]'s district) are ''Vaalimaa–Torfianovka'' on the road [[E18]]/7 Helsinki-St.Petersburg, and ''Nuijamaa–Brusnichnoe'' near [[Lappeenranta]].
==== Vaalimaa–Torfianovka ====
It is always open. Traffic is high there, and you might find there both long-distance trucks (however, see info below about trucks ) as well as lots of locals, from both sides of the border, with Russians coming to buy goods they don't have in Russia, and Finns going to the other side to buy alcohol, cigarettes and fuel. On a Finnish side, you can find most of them at the first [[petrol station]], just before the customs zone. You can also ask drivers on the parking, and those queuing to the terminal. A ride to [[Torfianovka]] is enough – there's lots of transport going to [[Vyborg]] and [[St. Petersburg]] from there.
As of 2006, it was a complete waste of time to hitch a truck over the border to Russia – freight terminal is separate for trucks and the queue there is extremely slow: sometimes you wait for hours, sometimes for days. Same terminal from Russia to Finland, though, seems to be faster.
To get back from [[Russia]] to Finland, simply ask drivers at the parking lot by one of the supermarkets around there on the Russian side.
Good point. I hadn't tohguht about it quite that way. :)
== Motorways ==[[File:Finnish_motorway_sign_561.png|left|60px]]It Like the other Nordic countries, Finland has everyman's right (''jokamiehenoikeus'') meaning that it is illegal allowed to hitchhike camp on the motorways (called “moottoritie”) any land provided that you stay a few hundred metres from houses, do not start a fire, and some motorways (“moottoriliikennetie”) do not more than one night in Finlandany given place. You can recognize these from the green signsWhile 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.
The cars can not stop in crossing In Southern Finland and the Åland Islands, the forests and grassy areasare full of ticks, so wear clothing that covers your legs and some cars not obeying this rule and taking hitchhikers on board are known to be finedcheck occasionally that you haven't been bitten.
Hitching on the motorways and two lane expressways is prohibited. On any other motorway you can legally hitch. You can also hitchhike at the motorway on-ramps, and at the motorway [[petrol station]]s' areasFile:Finland european roads. Basically, same rules as in countries in Western Europe png|thumb|250px|Finnish motorways (blue) with their European numbers and national roads (red and in most states of the [[USAyellow)]].
no edit summary
|map = <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 possibly the most probable transit country on your way hitchhiking there from Southern Europe is [[Estonia]]. Most people use this way which is called "as the [[Via Baltica]]" - it is a road ([[E67]] between ) road connects Finland with [[HelsinkiPrague]], Finland via the Baltic States and [[PraguePoland]]. 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 and [[Czech Republicpetrol stations|petrol stations]] through Baltic States . The cars cannot stop in crossing areas, and some drivers not obeying this rule and taking hitchhikers on board have been fined. In the south, it is a good idea to avoid motorways and [[Poland]]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.
__TOC__
=== Cities ===
* [[Lapland]]
== Crossing the borders Border crossing ==Apart from the Russian There are no border, Finnish borders exist only on the map, not in reality. Since the dawn of time there has been very a liberal co-operation checkpoints between the FinnishFinland, Swedish Sweden and NorwegianNorway. You can cross these borders without stopping. However, despite the fact that Finland signed the * [[Vaalimaa–Torfianovka border crossing]] with [[Schengen AgreementRussia]] there is a random identity and luggage check when you take a ferry from * [[AhvenanmaaNuijamaa–Brusnichnoe border crossing]] to with [[StockholmRussia]] (Sweden).
[[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]] ([[Ahvenanmaa]]), or [[Mariehamn]] ([[Åland]]), as its Swedish-speaking population calls it. 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.
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.
=== From/to Estonia ===
* [http://www.eckeroline.fi/en/default.aspx ''Eckerö Line'']
* [http://www.lindaliini.ee/ ''Linda Line'']
== 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. Anyhow, most of the Most people speak good English, too, so most of the foreign hitchhikers won't have big language 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).
Hitchhiking is quite safe in Finland. As always, common sense is your friend.
== Legal matters for hitchhikers Sleeping ==Hitchhiking is legal in Finland. Anyhow, there are some places where it is illegal for the cars to stop, and some places where it is illegal for pedestrians to stand. Both of these make hitchhiking illegal de facto in these places.
[[File:Finland european roadsErga-camping-in-finland.pngjpg|thumb|250px|Finnish right|[[Camping]] is legal almost anywhere in Finland, just stay slightly out of sight and you can even camp next to [[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, when local hitchers get inspired by European backpackers heading to [[Lapland]]. Hitching in Finland is much more difficult/impossible in late autumn and winter simply because people do not stop.
