Commuting and transport

Finland offers a variety of quick and reliable ways to get to and from work.

If you live in an urban area, you can rely on public transport or simply cycle or walk to work. Complementary alternatives, such as rideshare options, e-bikes, and e-scooters, are also widely available. While commute times in the metropolitan region are the longest on average, they’re still very reasonable: the average one-way commute is 29 minutes.

Many Finns own cars, especially if they live in areas with more distance between housing and amenities. If you choose to drive to and from work, you’ll find that Finland’s roads are well-kept, easily navigable, and relatively traffic-free. Nationally, the average one-way commute is 23 minutes. Car, bus, and train are the most common modes of transportation.

While costs of local public transit vary in cities, expect to pay approximately 50-60 euros per month depending on the type of pass you buy. And if you live in the metropolitan area, you’ll be able to travel between Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, and beyond using the region’s well-connected transportation system. Finally, most Finnish cities are compact, and many people live withing walking or biking distance from work, school, and leisure activities.

Finland’s air, rail, road, and water transportation networks are great for covering longer distances. Railways span most of the country, and 20 airports – including Helsinki-Vantaa (HEL), the nation’s largest – offer both intra- and international flights. Finally, Finland’s bus network covers more than 90% of public roadways and is one of the most comprehensive in all of Europe.

Traveling within Finland – whether via public transit, by car or bike, or on foot – is safe and easy. In fact, Finland is consistently ranked one of the world’s safest countries. To learn more about this, read this safety and stability article.

One final thing worth mentioning: Finland’s Nordic weather and prolific wildlife sometimes affect cross-country roadways. And while Finland’s four seasons are all wonderful in their own ways, roads can get icy in winter. Fortunately, the country has a great system in place to help ensure you have a safe journey. You can learn more about it here.

For even more information on getting around and various modes of transport in Finland, read this article.