Kouvola

Kouvola railway station

Kouvola is a city in Southern Finland. It is located 134 km northeast of the capital, Helsinki.

Understand

The town originally emerged around the junction of the north-south and east–west rail tracks. It is one of Finland's most important rail hubs, and the main rail link between Finland and St. Petersburg goes through Kouvola. In January 2009, the six municipalities – Kouvola, Kuusankoski, Elimäki, Anjalankoski, Valkeala and Jaala – merged, accounting for the new municipality of Kouvola with a population of over 88,000, being the 10th largest city in Finland.

Verla Groundwood and Board Mill located near Jaala is a monument to the early days of the Finnish forest industry and a world heritage site since 1996.

Although Kouvola is said to be the ugliest city in Finland, there are still many sights worthy of seeing in Kouvola. Even the ugliness itself can be an experience.

Get in

By plane

The closest passenger airport is in Helsinki.

By train

There are railways to Kouvola from four directions:

• Helsinki - Lahti - Kouvola
• Kotka - Kouvola
• Pieksämäki - Mikkeli - Kouvola
• Joensuu - Imatra - Lappeenranta - Kouvola, from this direction also trains from St. Petersburg and Moscow arrive

By bus

Matkahuolto and Onnibus offer connections to Helsinki, Tampere, Jyväskylä, Joensuu, Lappeenranta, Imatra, Kotka and Mikkeli.

By car

• Highway 6 (Helsinki - Kouvola - Lappeenranta)
• Highway 12 (Rauma - Huittinen - Tampere - Lahti - Kouvola)
• Highway 15 (Kotka - Kouvola - Mikkeli)

Get around

In the city centre, the easiest way to get around is to walk. Everything is within quite a small distance, and Kouvola's main street Manski is a pedestrian zone.

If you want to go to somewhere further from the centre, you can go by bus or train. Information about local buses you can find here. There is an interactive route planner for local buses. Taxis are useful too, especially for getting back to your hotel after a long night.

• Valopilkku (Taksi Helsinki). Taxis ordered by smart phone app. Pricing not told on the web. (updated Aug 2019)
• 02 Taksi. Smart phone app offers address based routing and gives price offers from different taxi companies. Pricing not told on the web. (updated Mar 2020)

See

• 1 Kaunisnurmi district. Wooden houses and museums. 

Verla Groundwood and Board Mill museum

• 2 Verla Groundwood and Board Mill (Maailmanperintökohde Verla), Verlantie 295, Verla (From the Kouvola-Heinola highway road 46 > road 369 > road 14570), ☏ +358 2041 52170, museum.verla@upm.com. 2.-13.5.2013 and 2.-29.9.2013: Mo-Fr 10AM - 4PM (Sat, Sun closed); 14.5.-1.9.2013 Tu-Su 9:30AM - 5PM (Mon closed). The museum can be visited on guided tours only, though you can see the buildings from the outside free of charge. The tours in Finnish begin each hour, the first one at 10AM. Tours in languages other than Finnish are arranged on request. You can also hike a 2 km forest trail or see rock paintings of human figures and animals made by ancient artists around 9,000 years ago. Adults: 10 €, Students, pensioners: 8 €, Children under 18: free. 
• Kymijoki. Kymi river, flowing through many towns and districts of Kouvola (though not the city center itself), is one of the widest rivers in Southern Finland. Giving the name to the entire region (Kymenlaakso translates to Kymi's Valley), it is one of the most important drainage rivers of the Finnish Lakeland. A swift river with many rapids, it has long been a major source of hydroelectricity (earlier on timber rafting too) and as a result of this much of the Finnish wood and paper industry has historically been concentrated in this region. (updated Jul 2016)

Do

• 1 Tykkimäki Amusement Park, Kanuunakuja 2. One of the largest amusement parks in southern Finland. 
• 2 Repovesi National Park. Formerly a site for intensive commercial forestry, the Repovesi area has now been successfully transformed into a pristine national park. Pine and birch trees dominate the park. Repovesi abounds with wildlife including bear, deer and various birds. The River Koukunjoki cuts through the park. Other streams and lakes are also situated within the parks boundaries. 

Festivals

• Pioneerifestivaali: 13–14 July 2018. Rock festival (date needs updating)
• Iiti music festival (Iitin musiikkijuhlat): 12–15 June 2019 (22 km towards Lahti along national road 12, turn at Kausala for 7 km more; bus transport from Kouvola or Kausala, Kausala is served also by some trains). Music festival with mostly chamber music. Iiti is a parish village voted to be the most beautiful in Finland. Most concerts in the wooden church from 1693, some at other locations, also outdoor concerts. A music school for young people is arranged concurrently. €20–40, some concerts free; bus transport 2×€3–7. (date needs updating)

Buy

• 1 Kauppakeskus Veturi, Tervasharjunkatu 1. A large shopping mall next to highway 6, opened in 2012. If you feel like going on a shopping spree in Kouvola, this is probably the right place. 
• 2 Prisma, Tommolankatu 9. An older shopping mall, close to Veturi but on the southern side of highway 6. 

Eat

Budget

• 1 Nipan Grilli, Hongistontie 15, ☏ +358 45 3482885. Mo-Tu 10.00-23.00 We-Th 10.00-23.00 Fr 10.00-02.00 Sa 11.00-02.00 Su 11.00-23.00. A popular fast food joint opposite to Tornionmäki school. 
• 2 Ravintola Tabasco, Kauppalankatu 37, ☏ +358 5 379 4000. A pizzeria in central Kouvola serving pizza, kebab and steaks. 
• 3 Ravintola Maku Bistro, Hallituskatu 7 B (Just by the railway station.), ☏ +358 106661020, pitobistro@pitobistro.fi. 8:00-15:30. Lunch buffet type restaurant. (updated Apr 2015)

Drink

• 1 Ravintola Kaisa, Hallituskatu 3. The bar under the train station, is a good option for those who want to experience a typical Finnish bar. 
• 2 Pub Old Tom, Käsityöläiskatu 4. The nearby pub Old Tom is a great place to have a drink in the summer time when the al fresco part is open. 

There are three nightclubs in Kouvola as well. Of these, the first is the most popular.

• 3 Night/Amarillo (at Manski). 
• Tivoli (close to the train station). 
• 4 Q Bar, Salpausselänkatu 27 (near the city library). formerly known as Bar&Club RedMoon 
• 5 Nightclub Riviera, Keskikatu 6 (in Hansakeskus (Hansa centre)). 

Sleep

Budget

• 1 Matkustajakoti Rauhala, Itäasemantie 17, ☏ +358 5 5735388, +358 5 3656061, majatalo.rauhala@gmail.com. Basic accommodation in a guesthouse near the railway station in the village Myllykoski. 
• 2 LEO-Hotelli, Kenraalintie 6, ☏ +358 40 721 8169. A hotel in central Myllykoski 
• 3 Tykkimäki Camping, Käyrälampi. The amusement park has a campground too. 

Mid-range

• 4 Hotel Sommelo, Pallokentäntie 2, Kuusankoski. 
• 5 Hotelli Turistihovi, Kouvolankatu 23, ☏ +358 5 311 5661. Basic hotel 400 m from the railway station. Breakfast costs 6€ extra. triple 80 €, double 67 €, single 50 €. 
• 6 Hotelli Kymenhovi, Keskikatu 9, ☏ +358 5 375 8770. Centrally located near the pedestrian area. Breakfast included. double 65 €, single 40 €. 
• 7 Hotelli Cumulus Kouvola, Kouvolankatu 11, ☏ +358 5 789 911, fax: +358 5 789 9299, kouvola.cumulus@restel.fi. 

Splurge

• 8 Sokos Hotel Vaakuna, Hovioikeudenkatu 2, ☏ +358 20 1234 651, fax: +358 5 8288 288, reception.kouvola@sokoshotels.fi. 

Go next

• Lappeenranta — 87 km east. An old fortress and the entrance point to either the Finnish Lakeland or Russia.
• Kotka — 57 km south. Where Kymenlaakso region meets the sea. An aquarium, a maritime centre and an imperial fishing lodge.
• Lahti — 62 km west. Pretty similar to Kouvola but with the Finnish radio museum, the ski jumping towers, several parks and more shopping options.