Transport

Joensuu and Kuopio can be reached easily via Helsinki: there are several flights, trains and buses running on a daily basis.

It is recommended that you book your ticket well in advance as better deals are available the earlier you book. Please note that you are not entitled to student discounts on Finnish trains and buses until after you have arrived and registered at the University and ordered your Finnish student card. Keep this in mind when booking your tickets online; if you book a student priced ticket without a Finnish student card, you will be expected to pay the difference on board the train or the bus.

Travelling from the airport

If you arrive in your university city by plane, the cheapest option to travel from the airport to the city centre is with the local airport bus. Taxis in Finland are rather pricey.

There is no general pick-up service at the airport in the beginning of the term (arranged by UEF or ISYY) and you are expected to make your own way to the city centre. In some cases your personal student tutor might be able to meet you at the airport but this you have to agree with your tutor beforehand.

Once you have reached the town centre, you need to collect the keys to your apartment (unless you have arranged for your tutor to collect your keys on your behalf) and make your way to your new house. Local bus service is once again the cheapest way to travel within the city.

Cycling is the cheapest way to move around

Once you have settled in your new home, we recommend you get yourself a bicycle. The good old bike is definitely the best way to get you out and about. Joensuu and Kuopio are both very cycling-friendly cities and cycling is safe and convenient. Well-kept and well-lit cycling paths cover the routes from the University to the student housing complexes. Second-hand bikes can be purchased cheaply online.

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Flights: Finnair
Planning your way from airport to downtown: use matka.fi service provided by traficom
Long-distance buses: Savonlinja, Matkahuolto and Onnibus 
Buses between Helsinki – Kuopio by Pohjolan liikenne
Trains: VR

Local Buses in Kuopio: route search. Information about Tickets and Travel Cards in Kuopio.

Local buses in Joensuu: route search (in English). Information about Waltti bus cards in Joensuu.