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There == 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 no border checkpoints between 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, Sweden 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 Norway. You can cross these borders without stoppingopen-minded.
* [[Torfyanovka-Valimaa border crossing]] with [[Russia]]* [[Brusnichnoe-Nuijamaa border crossing]] with [[Russia]] [[File:Washing car window in Hitchhiking seems to get easier the more North of Finland.JPG|thumb|240px|Hitchhiker [[User:guaka|guaka]] washing away mosquito corpses]] === From/to Sweden ===Ferries to Stockholm you 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, because towns get smaller and are bound people feel more open to be tackyhelp others. ''Viking Line'' sells cheaper tickets without a cabinHowever, too, which would be rather useless on the daytime trips between [[Turku]] and [[Stockholm]] anyway. As of June 2016, a morning ferry from Stockholm to Turku (and vice-versa) costs €15, and Stockholm-Helsinki (and vice versa) costs from €88 (the latter includes compulsory cabin reservation, and prices vary according to season; also, special offers can put the price below €10). ''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 highways are better in Turku at night. During the autumn, winter South and early spring that means no daylight which there 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 foot passengers, 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.lindaliinitraffic.ee/en/ Linda Line]
== 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. 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.
* [http://www.hitchbase.com/orte.php?LANG=eng&l_id=66 Hitchbase] page for Finland with somewhat outdated tips for locations
* [http://books.google.com/books?id=ZY_XZW9AtYgC&printsec=frontcover&dq=finland Lonely Planet − Finland eBook (2003) ''preview'']
* [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)
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|map = <map lat='64.8' lng='25.9' zoom='4' view='0' width='300' height='350' country='Finland'/>
}}
[[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]]]]
'''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 [[E67|Via Baltica]] ([[E67]]) road connects Finland with [[Prague]] via the Baltic States and [[Poland]].
* [[Lapland]]
== Border crossing Safety ==Hitchhiking is quite safe in Finland. As always, common sense is your friend.
== Language ==
* Where are you driving to? = '''Minne ajat?'''
* I don't speak Finnish = '''En puhu suomea'''
== Links ==
* [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
{{Cities Finland}}
[[de:Finnland]]
[[fi:Suomi]]
