Finland is the most sparsely populated country in the European Union. Outside the major cities, driving is usually the most practical way to get around. Traffic is safe, speeds are modest and most roads have little traffic. Drivers should allow plenty of time for the drive and for frequent sightseeing stops. Long distances, particularly when travelling south-to-north, means that driving will take time. A drive along the full extent of its longest highway, National road 4 (E75), requires at least 15 hours.

In Helsinki, roads and streets are congested during rush hours, many streets are one-way, making navigation difficult, and parking is scarce and expensive. In addition, don't count on all lanes being available, as closures for road work and other interruptions are not uncommon. The problem is perhaps not as big as in major cities elsewhere, but enough that your main worry should be how to get rid of your car. Most families here don't have one, instead relying on public transport when not walking.

Also in and between other major cities, the public transport is mostly adequate, and there may be problems with congestion and parking, although not as severe as in Helsinki.

Prepare

Most places in the Finnish countryside are easiest to reach by car.

See also: Driving in Europe

Since 2018, driving licences from abroad are generally accepted in Finland. EU/EEA licences are valid as such. Most other licences are valid for tourists driving motorcycles or normal cars (equivalent to Finnish class A and B vehicles, not heavy-duty ones like buses or lorries) if they are printed in a Latin script or translated into Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English, German or French by a reliable party. The minimum driving age is 18.

If you are going to drive in winter conditions you should check that you and your vehicle can handle them. Winter tyres are compulsory from November to March, when road conditions require them. Studded winter tyres are allowed (for passenger cars, not heavy vehicles) throughout the same months and whenever else "circumstances require", with a liberal interpretation, such as when soon being en route to wintry Lapland. Expect the odd snowfall and some freezing nights October–April, even in the south. Snow in the south in September or May is unlikely, but has happened. If you visit in early autumn or late spring, you might just decide to leave the car parked if there is snow or black ice, but make that decision beforehand so that you are not tempted to drive anyway without preparation. Make sure to note if there have been low temperatures in the night, or might be, when you have to catch your plane.

Foreign-registered cars can be used in Finland for a limited time, but require either an EU registration plate or a nationality sticker – registering it locally involves paying a substantial tax to equalize the price to Finnish levels.

Russian-registered cars may not enter Finland since mid-September 2023 (except for those of a few special groups), and those already here can be confiscated until locally registered. Also, the green card agreement has been terminated; your Russian traffic insurance will not count as the compulsory coverage in Finland (and the Finnish one not in Russia). It should be possible to buy insurance soon after crossing the border.

If you opt to buy a car in Finland, make sure it has all annual taxes paid, learn when its next formal inspection is due (emissions, brakes, lights, general condition etc.) and obtain the compulsory insurance.

Those travelling by motorbike, moped, snowmobile or similar, including passengers, are required to wear helmets. Bikers are generally required to wear one also, but violating that rule is mostly ignored by the police. For motorised vehicles counted as bikes, such as some electric mopeds, enforcement may be stricter.

Get in

Boarding the ferry in Stockholm

As Finland, Estonia, Germany, Norway and Sweden are part of the Schengen area, the borders between these countries are in theory open. The ferries, however, impose passport or ID checks to avoid liabilities for people from outside EU/EEA without right to enter, and the customs sometimes have checks. The land borders to Sweden and Norway are also usually open in practice, with customs stations on the Norwegian border for those wanting to declare any goods.

Those travelling with pets should learn the applicable requirements first. There are a few serious diseases that border authorities do their best to keep at bay, and you don't want your pet to be put in quarantine.

From Schengen countries

From Sweden there are ferries from the Stockholm region to Åland, Turku, Naantali and Helsinki, and from Umeå to Vaasa. In the north, the border is along the Tornionjoki River and its tributaries, with several bridges.

The ferries from Sweden are also useful when coming from Norway, by E18 from central and southern Norway via the Stockholm region, and by the Blue Highway (here E12) from Mo i Rana via Umeå. E10 is useful when coming from the Lofoten area (change roads at Överkalix, Morjärv or Töre to get to Finland). From Troms and Finnmark there are border crossings at Kilpisjärvi (useful from Tromsø; E8), Kivilompolo (near Hetta, for coming via Kautokeino; E45), Karigasniemi (via Karasjok), Utsjoki, Nuorgam (via Tana Bru) and Näätämö (from Kirkenes).

From Estonia there is massive ferry traffic between Tallinn and Helsinki and some connections to Åland on the Estonia–Sweden ferries. There may be a connection from Paldiski to Hanko. There are also car ferries from Germany to Helsinki.

The ferries from Umeå to Vaasa and from Tallinn to Helsinki are mostly day services, to Turku you can choose between day and night ferries, while the ferries from Stockholm to Helsinki leave in the afternoon and arrive late in the morning. The ones from Germany travel one or two nights. Most of the services are on cruise ferries with shopping and entertainment on board, while a few from Kapellskär in the Stockholm region and the ones from Germany are more quiet ordinary ropax ferries, with their primary focus on lorries, trailers and drivers, but also some facilities for families. The Finnlines Kapellskär–Långnäs–Naantali fleet has been updated to cater to leisure travellers after acquiring two new ships in 2023–2024. The Grisslehamn–Eckerö (Åland) passage is short enough that not much entertainment is needed.

From Russia

	Note: In an effort to thwart Russian-sponsored instrumentalized migration, the entire eastern border—including leisure boating through the Haapasaari, Santio and port of Nuijamaa maritime border crossings—was closed on 15 December 2023, and if reopened, may be closed again with only 24 hours notice. On 15 April 2024 the government declared that the border with Russia will remain closed to all persons, cargo and commercial traffic until further notice. The next statutory review of the policy will be made on or before 22 July 2025. See Finland § Get in and the Border Guard's information on crossing points for more information.
	(Information last updated 27 Oct 2024)

The eastern border with Russia is regulated, with nine border crossings for vehicles and one for rail traffic along its 1,340 km-long (830 mi) expanse. The southernmost five used to be open at all hours, but the four further north only in daytime, and their hours of operation are posted online; the Russian war on Ukraine affects the crossings. The border crossings from Russia are at Vaalimaa/Torfyanovka/Торфя́новка near Hamina on E18 from Saint Petersburg via Vyborg, Nuijamaa/Brusnichnoye/Брусничное (Lappeenranta), Imatra/Svetogorsk/Светогорск (Enso), Niirala/Värtsilä/Вя́ртсиля (Tohmajärvi, near Joensuu), Vartius/Lyttä/Люття (Kuhmo, from Kostomuksha), Kuusamo/Suoperä/Суоперя (from northern Russian Karelia), Kelloselkä (Salla, from Kandalaksha) and Raja-Jooseppi/Lotta/Лотта (Inari, from Murmansk). There may also be a cruise ferry from Saint Petersburg to Helsinki (operations have been intermittent thus far).

Roads

Highway 5, a typical two-lane road; junction and coach stop on the right-hand side

Main roads hold to the same standards found across Western Europe in general. The first part of major highways spreading out from Helsinki are motorways/freeways/expressways (divided, controlled access, with four or more lanes), as are some highways around bigger cities (such as Highway 4 north and south of Oulu) and, in practice, all of E18 along the south coast. Otherwise, highways are usually undivided 2-lane roads. There are no toll roads.

All highways (one- or two-digit numbers) are paved, as are most regional roads (three-digit numbers), while "connecting" and local roads (with seldom used four- and five-digit numbers, or no numbers at all) may be gravel, especially in sparsely populated areas. There may be problems with washboarding and potholes on the local roads, but they should still be drivable with any car. The smallest roads, on the other hand, such as the last kilometres to a private cottage, can be in any condition: perfectly paved, gravel, or stony and potholed ones requiring high clearance. In winter many roads for forestry, cottages and hiking destinations may be unmaintained and covered in deep snow. Most private roads may be used by anybody, but look out for signs warning otherwise – there may be a temporarily opened barrier along the route.

• Road number signs
• 
  European route
• 
  National road (1–39)
• 
  Other highway (40–99)
• 
  Regional road (100–999)
• 
  Connecting road
  (1000–9999)

The European routes (E4, E8, E12, E18, E45, E63 and E75) are signed as such, but also by their national road numbers like other roads. Addresses use the local name of the road, which for the main roads often is seen on signage only in urban areas. The national numbers of main national roads are well-known, the European numbers less so, and the names mainly known by locals (being sometimes used for other roads in other municipalities).

Common phrases on additional panels
Ei koske / Gäller ej	→	does not concern
Koskee läpiajoa / Gäller genomfart	→	applies (only) to through traffic
… kielletty / … förbjuden	→	… forbidden
Pelastustie / Räddningsväg	→	route for emergency vehicles, do not block

Main roads are usually fairly well-maintained, while lower-classed roads may to some extent suffer from cracks and potholes, and warnings about irregularities in the pavement of these roads are seldom posted. This is most often the result of frost heaving, and therefore these issues are more prevalent in the spring, when snow and ice melts and their effects during the winter are revealed. Sometimes the damage gets repaired in the summer, but not always.

Fintraffic, the national traffic management organization, maintains a live dashboard of road conditions on their Traffic Pulse page. Incidents are described in Finnish only, but road conditions along main roads are colour-coded. The service includes camera footage on highways and also some information on minor roads, such as whether ice roads are open. The information is given on a best-effort basis, so some of it may be susceptible to disruption and should not be relied on alone.

Exits on motorways are numbered sequentially: exit 12 is not 12 km from the origin, but the 12^th exit on the motorway. Exits to fuel stations and rest stops are not numbered, but these are often at real exits.

Rules

Common road signage

• 
  Advisory
  speed limit
• 
  Elk or deer
• 
  Inter­section
• 
  No entry

• 
  Minimum speed
• 
  Priority for oncoming traffic
• 
  Overtaking prohibited
• 
  Speed limit for zone

• 
  Default speed limits, as signed at the border
• 
  "General [speed] limit"

New traffic laws came into effect in 2020, introducing some new rules and changing some traffic signs and road markings, though the process of updating all the signage and markings is expected to take up to ten years. The differences are minor from a foreigners' viewpoint, but don't trust advice that might not have gotten updated, and don't get upset or confused if you have been told something that is not true any more (e.g. regulation details on winter tyres).

Åland has its own traffic laws, and speed limits are 50, 70 or 90 km/h (30, 45 or 55 mph). Winter tyres are compulsory December–February and parking on the left side of a bidirectional road is not allowed. The other differences should not cause problems.

Paid parking M–F 08:00–17:00 and Sa 10:00–15:00, no fee at night and on Sundays

Traffic drives on the right, with a few unusual or unintuitive rules to be aware of:

• Helmets are mandatory on mopeds, snowmobiles and most other vehicles except passenger cars.
• Headlights or daytime running lamps are mandatory at all times, day or night.
• Always give way to the right unless signed otherwise. References to minor roads apply only to exits from parking lots and similar, so this applies even to smaller roads on your right. Almost all thoroughfare-intersections have explicit yield signs on the minor road, while only highways are explicitly marked with priority signs, so most roads with priority go unmarked; instead, watch for the back of the yield sign on the other road.
• Turning right on red at traffic lights is illegal unless explicitly allowed; this means a separate lane with a yield sign. Intersections may have two sets of traffic lights, the standard solid circular lights and another with lighted arrows instead. If a green arrow is lit it indicates that the pedestrian crossing has a red light.
• White lights are used at railway crossings, instead of green, while white arrows are for buses and trams only.
• Signs follow a standard rubric: white or black numbers are for Monday to Friday, shown in parentheses they apply to Saturdays, and red numbers are for Sundays and holidays; "8–16" in white or black means weekdays 08:00 to 16:00. These are common in parking areas, but also used when some lanes are restricted to certain vehicle classes or bus traffic during rush hours. If the numbers for Saturdays and Sundays are absent, the sign (or an additional panel, in the case of parking meters) does not apply on weekends at all.
• Trams always have the right of way and may be encountered in Helsinki and Tampere. Collisions with them do a surprising amount of damage, and it's best not to get into arguments with vehicles that can't steer and weigh as much as a small battle tank.
• Vehicles are required by law to stop at zebra crossings when a pedestrian intends to cross the road or when another car has stopped, regardless of whether or not you can see any pedestrians, as if there were a stop sign – and to approach them slowly enough to be able to stop if it becomes necessary. If you are the first car to stop for pedestrians, watch your mirrors and be ready to blow the horn in case a car in another lane does not seem likely to stop. Most pedestrians "intend" to cross the road only when there is a sufficiently large gap in traffic. Parking or stopping curbside to let a passenger out is prohibited within 5 m (16 ft) of a zebra crossing.
• Circular traffic can be rather complex. For example, in some instances, two new lanes are created as the outermost lane is forced to exit. This creates a difficult situations, especially when the road markings are covered with snow. Luckily this problem is confined to a handful of large and old intersections in cities.
• Using seat belts is mandatory, and children shorter than 135 cm (53 in) must use the appropriate seats or restraints (these requirements are waived for taxis, except for children under 3 years of age).
• Mobile phones may not be used while driving except through hands-free equipment. The police can fine you if they notice that you split your focus from the road, for using your phone or otherwise.

Speed limits default to 50 km/h (30 mph) in towns and villages – note the "town" signs – 80 km/h (50 mph) on country roads and 120 km/h (75 mph) on motorways, but 30 or 40 km/h (20 or 25 mph) zones are common in cities, 60 km/h (35 mph) being common near countryside villages and 100 km/h (60 mph) the most common speed limit on motorways. From around mid-October to April, speed limits on motorways are lowered to 100 km/h and most 100 km/h limits are lowered to 80 km/h. In many places such as built-up areas, major junctions, road construction sites or even for no apparent reason (but often a village or school not easily seen from the road), lower speed limits are posted. Speed cameras of various kinds are a fairly common enforcement measure.

Where minor roads default to 80 km/h and especially when that speed limit is accompanied with a sign reading Yleisrajoitus or Allmän begränsning (in English: "general limit") – don't try to keep that speed if it feels unsafe. Many of those roads are characterized by curves, potholes and lack of pavement, and you might need to be driving a rally car to keep those speeds on, never knowing what is around the next turn. On highways, the traffic usually flows at speeds a few km/h above the posted limit (most Finnish drivers know the exact leeway given by police). As anywhere, if a queue is forming behind you, find a suitable place to move over and allow them to pass. Using the shoulder, marked with an unbroken line, is usually not allowed. Likewise, an unbroken (double) centre line may not be crossed for overtaking. If it is broken on your side, overtaking is allowed, as long as you can return to your lane in time.

Advisory speed limits (square blue signs with white text) are sometimes used at dangerous bends and other hazards and should be taken very seriously: ignoring them will likely have you off the road. Sometimes they can be found where risk for elk or deer is exceptionally severe, in combination with the warning sign for those animals. Since 2020 there are also round blue signs that specify a minimum speed to be maintained under normal conditions, in practice mostly forbidding slow vehicles.

The Finnish system for enforcing road safety employs traffic penalty fees for minor offences, such as for moderate speeding (€70–170), and income based day fines for more serious offences, such as travelling more than 20 km/h (12 mph) over the posted limit. For instance, the standard fine for a first offence of speeding by 40 km/h (25 mph) is 44 day fines, more or less three weeks' income, so don't ignore the risk, especially if you have a high income (or are poor: there are minimums). Finnish courts do not hesitate to impose these fines uniformly, in fact a Nokia VP with a nine-figure net worth was fined €116,000 for travelling 25 km/h (15 mph) above the posted limit and news of business people being forced to pay €50,000+ fines for third offences with no crash is now something that occurs regularly every few years, and twice in 2023 alone! If your speeding or other neglect of safety has occurred repeatedly (such as being caught by several speed cameras) or indeed has endangered traffic, then you risk temporarily losing your driving licence and possibly imprisonment.

Software for GPS navigators that warn of fixed safety cameras is legal and installed by default in many mobile phones. Signage to inform drivers of fixed camera deployments (usually at the start of the supervised road) are required by law. Radar detectors, however, are illegal and are often confiscated by customs.

A blood alcohol level of 0.05% or higher is considered drunk driving, and at 0.12% the offence becomes aggravated drunk driving. Finnish police strictly enforce this with random roadblocks and sobriety tests. The sobriety test is done with a handheld breath alcohol meter and there is no practical way to refuse it without being cited.

Cope

Cabin in a sleeper train

Signpost to the camping ground

VR's car carrier trains are popular for skipping the long drive from Helsinki up to Lapland and getting a good night's sleep instead: a Helsinki–Rovaniemi trip (one way) with car and a cabin for two is usually about €300–400. The loading sites are Helsinki (Pasila), Tampere, Turku, Oulu, Rovaniemi, Kemijärvi and Kolari. Only some of the trains take cars, and only some combinations of departure and destination station are possible. The cars (and motorcycles) must usually be ready to be loaded an hour or so before departure. Usually you drive your car aboard yourself, without passengers. The biggest cars do not fit, so know your dimensions and double check them!

Most camping grounds cater to motorhomes as well as caravans, and camping with tents. Many also have small cabins for rent.

There are rest stops on major and some minor roads.

When coming to Finland by ferry in summer with a motorhome or caravan, book well in advance; there is usually space for passenger cars, but booking in time may still be advisable. Road ferries should be no major problem, although some passages have queues of several hours in the worst times, such as before and after Midsummer. On the other archipelagic ferries, there is often space only for a few cars; you might want to call in advance to hear whether a reservation is recommended, or whether there are some specific times you should avoid.

Floods are common during spring in Ostrobothnia and Lapland, and may cut off some roads, even major ones. There will usually be reports on the news and there should be signage to suggest alternative routes, but you might want to check for them before getting underway. Sometimes heavy rain may cause brief flooding even in cities. There are no flash floods, but don't destroy your car by ignoring water on the road.

Car hire

The global rental companies you can find all over the world are present in Finland, at least in the biggest cities.

Car hire is expensive, so visitors should consider for how many days and what part of the trip a car is needed; rates are generally upwards of €80/day, although they go down for longer rentals. A compact car with a moderate engine is often much cheaper than a heavy SUV with a big engine. There is no need for a big 4-wheel drive as driving off-road requires a permit and violates the terms of all standard rental agreements.

If you are going to hire a car in some of the more sparsely populated regions, you should probably reserve it in advance. The offerings may be very limited and the rental firm may have nobody there unless they know you are coming.

As always, check the fine print if you are going to use minor country roads or ice roads. For cabins off the beaten track, some cars may not have enough ground clearance.

There are a few companies – mainly for locals – that offer car hire by app or web. Some require a driving licence they can check automatically, which in practice probably means a Finnish one. As these do not inspect cars between rentals, make sure to take photos before using the car (24Rent requires saving them for 30 days). They may also require that you clean the car, check the fluid levels and air pressure, etc., and refill any consumables, whether included in the price or not. As you probably want a car for several days, the ordinary car rental firms probably offer better prices and a wider range of options. Additionally, having someone to interact with personally is often an advantage.

• 24Rent (24Rental Network, 24Go, 24Leasing), Pilkanmaa, Kouvola, ☏ +358 75-325-2592. Available in the major cities, rentals conducted entirely online via website or app. Cars can be picked up and dropped off at select public car parks 24 hr/daily. 24Rent offers rentals in 24 hr increments, while 24Go charges by the minute with no multi-day rentals. Driving abroad is available for an additional fee. Customer service is minimal, and a phone number to contact the company is only shown in the app while a rental is active. 24Rent: €23–€100/day w/ unlimited distance; 24Go: €0.47/min, €0.10/min while "paused" (parked). (updated Oct 2024)
• Aimo Share (Aimo, Aimo Park, Aimo Charge), Kuortaneenkatu 7, 6^th Floor, Helsinki, ☏ +358 20-781-2400. M–F 08:00–16:00. Compact electric cars (Nissan Leaf or MG 5) for short-term hire (max. 3 days or by agreement), Finnish driving licence required. Terms and conditions are in Finnish only, but check them as there are some odd clauses, such as regard locking the car and recharging it, which must be done by the customer during paid hire time. Availability of a reserved car is not guaranteed, nor that it is in usable condition (i.e. fully charged). Tesla Model 3s available for approx. 1.5x normal rates. €3/15min; €84/day; €180/72hr. (updated Oct 2024)
• GoMore, Ruoholahdenkatu 14, Helsinki, ☏ +358 9 4245-0192, boris@gomore.com. M–F 09:00–16:00. Platform offering private car owners the opportunity to rent them to other members of the service; some owners will deliver the car to you if nearby. Rates include compulsory insurance for damages, but not the cost of fuel or recharging, which must be replaced prior to return. A wide variety of makes and models are available, from Opel Astra to Tesla Model Y to Mercedes V-Class. €25–€249/day. (updated Oct 2024)
• Japster, Hiekkakuopantie 6 A, Tuusula, support@japster.fi. M–F 08:00–20:00. Cars for hours or longer using a smartphone app. Works with car rental companies. Filling up and similar service has to be done by the customer as needed in paid hire time. (updated Oct 2024)
• MyCamper (formerly Camptoo), ☏ +358 09 315-45688, support@mycamper.com. Platform for owners of caravans and motorhomes to rent their vehicle to tourists when it would otherwise be unused for a longer period of time. (updated Oct 2024)

Fuel

A typical petrol station; prices at the high pole

As with most EU countries driving is rather expensive in Finland, with petrol (gasoline) around €1.81/litre ($7.42/US gallon) as of October 2024, with a record high of €2.45/litre ($10.03/US gallon) in June 2022; diesel is typically less expensive by 10–20 cents/litre, but in some areas may regularly be more expensive. Prices are shown very visibly on high poles at petrol stations.

Many petrol stations in Finland are completely unmanned (sans attendants), with the customer expected to tap their payment card on the reader to activate the dispensing of fuel. At unmanned stations, cash is typically not accepted, although unmanned ABC! stations often have an option of paying with banknotes in a device next to the pump (no change can be made, though, so beware of overpaying). At manned stations where you can pay with cash, you usually need to go to the cash register and pay first prior to dispensing your fuel, then returning to the register to receive any change you may be owed, if necessary.

Larger stations may have a shop and café with food. Most close by 21:00, though a few are open 24h daily. In the sparsely-populated areas of the country, distances of 50 km (31 mi) or more between filling stations are not uncommon, so mind your fuel gauge accordingly.

Standard blends of petrol (gasoline; Finnish: bensiini, Swedish: bensin) in Finland are 95E10 (95 octane with 10% ethanol), the standard fuel for most cars since the 2000s, and 98E5 (98 octane with 5% ethanol), for high-performance or older vehicles. Diesel is also widely available and you will occasionally see E85, an 85% ethanol blend not usable by most cars without a conversion kit. Prices for petrol and diesel are high due to taxation, which is at an above-average rate compared to the rest of the EU (but cheaper than in Norway).

Compressed natural gas (CNG; maakaasu/naturgas), is available at some stations such as Gasum, which also offers compressed biogas (CBG), and there are public charging stations (latauspiste) [map of locations] for electric cars in most of the country.

Parking

Parking is expensive in centres of big cities (e.g. Turku: €0.60–€3.60/hr, depending on area). There is often free parking in the street for short visits – have a parking disk with which you show your arrival time. In less busy areas you can often find free street-side parking (sometimes with parking changing side from week to week). Where free parking is sparse, there is often paid indoor parking. In the countryside parking is usually easy, but when parking roadside, make sure you don't block the road or any exit for lorries or forestry equipment. Don't park roadside on thoroughfares.

Paid parking is increasingly paid by mobile app, often optionally by debit/credit card, while coin-operated automates are being phased out as of the 2020s. The app is usually uniform across municipal parking, while private parking spaces use different apps, with some parking companies having large market shares.

Stay safe

Finnish driving culture is not too hazardous and driving is generally quite safe, with fatality rates continuing a decades-long rate of decrease, although moderate speeding is common on highways. Regulations are strictly enforced (notably driving while intoxicated, speeding and unsafe overtaking/passing) and speed limits are modest to promote road safety. Speed limits on some major roads are modified at-will to best suit current weather conditions, by digital signage.

Be careful at railway crossings on remote rural roads: not all of them have crossing barriers and lights to warn of approaching rail traffic travelling at up to 140 km/h (85 mph).

Winter driving

See also: Winter driving

National road 192 in Masku covered by ice and snow. The evergreen spruces have lost their colour in the haze.

Driving a car in winter conditions may be a real challenge without prior training and experience. The golden rule for driving on snow, ice and slush is don't rush. Braking distances increase dramatically, mandating following distances of no less than six seconds and sometimes as much as 10–12 seconds in more extreme weather. Inexperienced drivers should drive very carefully until they get used to the conditions and the vehicle's handling of it.

Winter tyres are not mandatory any more unless circumstances require them – but they will be required most of the winter, at least on some roads; the change was made because streets and major roads in southern Finland may be dry and good for much of the winter. Other cars will have winter tyres when needed, and attempting to move at a pace far slower than surrounding traffic is not a viable strategy to compensate for a lack of traction. Without winter tyres, you will be off the road in minutes if you encounter slush, snow or ice. Instead, keep your car parked and find another mode of transportation. Locals with two cars can share the one with winter tyres when needed and those not swapping tyre sets on their only vehicle will take the bus instead.

Proper Nordic winter tyres are much better than "mud+snow" (M+S) tyres, as they also stay soft enough to maintain good traction in cold weather through the addition of various silica compounds to the rubber. Most cars use steel-studded tyres, which allow for more dynamic driving and shorter braking distances on smooth icy surfaces, while non-studded winter tyres fare equally well in snow. The tread depth must be at least 3 mm (¹⁄₈ in) on normal cars, and more for heavy vehicles.

A cautionary example of the perils that can face motorists during the Finnish winter.

Having winter tyres does not mean you can drive as you would in summer, only that you have a sporting chance to stay on the road at highway speeds when you unexpectedly hit black ice or built-up snow between lanes, or otherwise start to slide. The most important advice for such situations is: don't try to brake or turn! You must restore the control interface between your tyres and the road before you attempt any momentum changes.

The most dangerous weather is when temperatures are near-freezing (0°C, or 32°F), when slippery but near-invisible black ice forms on the roads. The first day of the cold season with adverse weather can also be treacherous, catching drivers by surprise or with their vehicles not configured for the conditions. "Ridges" of accumulated slush and snow between lanes are also a danger. Finnish cars often come equipped with an engine block heater (lohkolämmitin) used to preheat the engine and possibly the interior of the car before starting, and many parking places have electric outlets to feed them (but ask before using them, as there may be specific rules). Liikenneturva, the Finnish road safety council, maintains a "Difficult driving conditions" article among many others on a wide variety of topics related to road safety, which all are available in English and highly recommended reading.

When it snows heavily, traffic is prone to stalling for a few hours, even in cities and on highways; consider leaving your car parked and changing your plans as needed. At such times parking may become sparse, as parking lots are used for storing the snow until it can be transported away. If your car was parked on the street, be prepared to use a spade. You may need to help your car get out on the street by pushing (but mind other traffic). Don't let your car dig ruts under the wheels, instead ask for advice from locals if freeing your car is problematic. Avoid driving "igloo style" – clear your windows, lights, air intakes, bonnet and roof prior to entering or reentering traffic.

Animal collisions

See also: Animal collisions

A dual hazard: reindeer on an icy highway

Collisions with various members of the deer family, including moose and reindeer, are a major risk factor when driving in Finland, particularly during twilight as all members are crepuscular. The biggest roads normally have fences against wild animals, but there are gaps, and the smaller roads lack them altogether. Collisions with moose (frequently lethal) are common countrywide, deer (mostly survivable) cause numerous collisions in the southern and south-western parts of the country. In Lapland you will also have to watch out for semi-domesticated reindeer that usually travel in herds. Always slow down until all of them have passed, as they may suddenly regroup in front of the car and are easily startled. Reindeer will often follow a road (sometimes for long distances) until reaching a suitable place and then disappear into the wilderness. Bear collisions also happen sometimes in eastern parts of the country, as well as occasional boar collisions in the south.

Try to pass the rear end of the animal to let it escape forward. Call the emergency service (112) to report accidents even if you are unharmed, as the animal may not be (the police will call local hunters or reindeer handlers to track it). You may want to stop your car at or near the site, to be able to report the exact location, and perhaps even marking it or record GPS coordinates if you can. If you hit a bear or boar, avoid getting out of the car at the site, as they may attack.

Be extra vigilant for wild animals on the roads under these circumstances:

• Twilight.
• February to April (when moose cows reject yearlings prior to giving birth).
• Early October (moose hunting season).
• Edges of forests.
• Bridges across streams.

In some cases there are fences along a section of road with wide breaks in them for the purpose of letting the animals pass. In such cases and in other places where wild animals are often seen, there are normally warning signs. Be especially observant while driving along lakes, as animals often congregate where there is access to abundant drinking water. During hunting seasons, the target animals sometimes move erratically if they sense hunting parties nearby.

Crime

While Finland has a low crime rate, car burglaries are not unheard of, especially in cities. Avoid leaving valuables in the car, and don't leave them in plain sight if you do.

Itineraries

• Blue Highway – along rivers and lakes from Norway to Russia, through Finland
• E8 through Finland and Norway – along the west coast and the border river and on to Tromsø
• Finland in ten days by car – suggested route showing some of the most important sights of the country
• Highway 4 (Finland) – from Helsinki to the north along E75
• Hämeen Härkätie – a historic route from Turku to the inland
• King's Road (Finland) – a historic route along the south coast

See also

• Driving in Sweden
• Driving in Norway
• Driving in Russia
• Estonia § Getting around