The Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland
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The Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland
19.03.2026
Savo-Karjala Excursion is one of the most famous and popular May Day celebration traditions of the Student Union (ISYY). The first Savo-Karjala Excursion was organized in 1990 and the event is held every year in Joensuu and Kuopio on 29th April despite the day of the week. During the Savo-Karjala Excursion, students circle around Eastern Finland (North Savo and North Karelia regions) on buses on a predetermined route, which will remain a secret until the buses start their journey, and enjoy refreshments in different bars and restaurants along the way (please note that the event is intended for adults only). The buses will stop at different locations giving students a chance to enjoy some refreshments and at one location food (the refreshments/food are not included in the price of the tour).
The stops during the Excursion last around 30 minutes each and there is one longer stop in the middle of the trip so that participants can eat. The whole event lasts for approximately ten hours after which there is an official afterparty at Apteekkari (Kuopio) and Bepop (Joensuu). The price of the ticket includes the official overall badge of the event, the bus trip and the afterparty. You can get to the after-party by showing the event's overall badge!
Campus ticket sales will take place on Thursday 9 April from 8am to 10 am in the Carelia lobby (Yliopistokatu 4, 80100 Joensuu). The remaining tickets, if there are any, will go on sale on Kide.app on the same day at 1pm. Tickets cannot be purchased from the ISYY office, but only from campus ticket sales or Kide.app. At the campus ticket sales, you can pay for your ticket by card or cash (please bring the exact amount).
There is not an organised queuing and queuing is only allowed on the morning of the ticket sales day.
The ticket price is 20 €. There is a limit of two tickets per person so you can register yourself and one friend. You need to inform your (and your friend’s) name, phone number, e-mail address, major subject/student association and UEF study right number as you register. The tickets cannot be returned, but tickets bought in Kide.app can be sent to another user.
All tickets are sold per bus and the bus departure times are listed below. The student associations mentioned in connection with the bus do not mean that the bus is only for students of that student association; all buses are open to all ISYY members.
On the event day 29 April, you must be in front of Carelia no later than 10 minutes before the departure time of your own bus. Buses don't wait for latecomers.
You can buy advance tickets for Excursion’s buffet dining at the Carelia campus ticket sales and on kide.app. Discounted meal tickets are available for 8€ only at Carelia between 8 am and 10 am on 9 April. After this, meal tickets can be purchased from kide.app for 9.50€ and you can buy them until the evening of the trip. It is also possible to pay your meal directly to the restaurant when you arrive, but we highly recommend buying the meal ticket in advance to minimize queues at the restaurant.
This year’s Excursion’s menu includes for example black beans, kidney beans, a creamy mushroom stew, cauliflower curry, potatoes, rice, a nutritious vegan salad, vegetables, and a salad buffet. Water, juice, home-brewed beer and coffee will be available to drink with the meal. All special dietary needs will be taken into consideration for those who buy the meal ticket by 12 pm (noon) on 15 April. Even though you can pay for your meal at the restaurant, we recommend buying the meal ticket by 12 pm (noon) on 15 April to make sure there will be enough food.
Ticket sales start on Thursday 9 April at 8 am at ISYY office (in Studentia building, C entrance, Yliopistonranta 3, 70211 Kuopio). The remaining tickets, if there are any, will go on sale on Kide.app on the same day at 1pm. Half of the seats on the KIVES x ALUMNI bus are reserved for alumni. Seats reserved for alumni can be bought from Kide.app, and alumni can also register in advance by email (yk(at)isyy.fi). Ticket sales for seats reserved for alumni on Kide.app starts on Thursday 9 April at 1pm.
The ticket price is 20 €. There is a limit of two tickets per person so you can register yourself and one friend. You need to inform your (and your friend’s) name, phone number, e-mail address, major subject/student association and UEF study right number as you register. The tickets cannot be returned, but tickets bought in Kide.app can be sent to another user.
All tickets are sold per bus and the bus departure times are listed below. The student associations mentioned in connection with the bus do not mean that the bus is only for students of that student association; all buses are open to all ISYY members.
On the event day 29 April, you must be in front of Carelia no later than 10 minutes before the departure time of your own bus. Buses don't wait for latecomers.
You can buy meal tickets for Excursion’s buffet dining at the campus ticket sales on Lukema and on kide.app. Discounted meal tickets are available for 8€ only at Lukema between 8 am and 12 pm (noon) on 9 April. After that the meal tickets can be purchased from Kide.app until 12 pm (noon) on 15 April for 10€. It is not possible to pay for your meal directly at the restaurant; you must purchase the meal ticket in advance for the buffet.
This year’s Excursion’s menu includes, for example, lentil curry, basmati rice, green salad, grated carrots, bread, and spreads. Special dietary needs will be taken into consideration for those who buy the meal ticket by 12 pm (noon) on 15 April
In Kuopio, students have traditionally queued for Savo-Karjala Excursion tickets for a few hours before the ticket sale starts. KIVES (ISYY’s May Day Club) organises the official queuing for tickets on Thursday 9 April starting from the early hours of the morning and is there to supervise the queuing. The organizers reserve the right to remove students who behave inappropriately or disruptively from the queue. If you want your name to be on the waiting list for tickets, visit the tent outside Lukema and ask for a board member of KIVES.
Students who have reserved a place for themselves on the waiting list are expected to be there queuing the entire time after they have added their name to the list so please dress warmly. KIVES checks at random times whether the students on the list are still present and if they cannot find someone, their name will be removed from the waiting list. (Bathroom breaks inside the ISYY office are naturally allowed while waiting!) The queue is formed in the morning in front of Lukema according to the waiting list before the office opens at 8 am.
Eveliina Scharin, Community Coordinator, Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland (ISYY), yk(at)isyy.fi, tel. +358 44 576 8408
Joensuu: Sofia Lindström, Executive Board member, Recreation and International Affairs, Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland (ISYY), sofia.lindstrom(at)isyy.fi
Kuopio: Piritta Pennanen, Executive Board member, Recreation, Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland (ISYY), piritta.pennanen(at)isyy.fi