The Southern Oulu region is in Northern Finland. This flat region doesn't contain any large cities or well-known sights so most people just pass through it when traveling between northern and southern Finland.

Cities

• 1 Haapajärvi
• 2 Haapavesi
• 3 Nivala
• 4 Oulainen
• 5 Pyhäjärvi
• 6 Ylivieska

Municipalities

• 1 Alavieska
• 2 Kärsämäki
• 3 Merijärvi
• 4 Pyhäntä
• 5 Reisjärvi
• 6 Sievi
• 7 Siikalatva

Get in

There are no passenger airports in the area; the closest ones are in Oulu and Kokkola. Trains from southern and western Finland to the north pass through the area and so do the main south-to-north highways, national road 4 with fairly frequent buses and national road 8. For destinations not adjacent to these thoroughfares you probably would need to take a local bus from Oulu, Kokkola or the regional centre Ylivieska.

Get around

Long-distance trains of the national operator VR can be used also for travelling in the region.

There is a dense bus network covering most of the region. Check at Matkahuolto.

Onnibus offers discount bus service by a few routes.

Google Maps includes timetables of trains, long distance buses and local transport of many cities and towns. Other useful route planners are Matka.fi for trains and local buses and Matkahuolto Reittiopas for regional buses.

By taxi

• Smartphone apps: Valopilkku, 02 Taksi, Menevä
• Otaxi and Pohjanmaan Taksi offer taxi service in Southern Oulu region

See

• The geographical center of Finland in Piippola, Siikalatva
• The church of Kärsämäki, built out of wood shingles.
• The bell gallery Vaskikello in Pyhäjärvi.
• Pyhänkoski rapids in Merijärvi.

Do

• Enjoy folk music at the annual folk music festival in Haapavesi.
• Explore the archipelago of Rahja in Kalajoki