Driving in Finland
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.
Get in
As Finland, Norway and Sweden are part of the Schengen area, the borders between these countries are open. The border to Russia is regulated, with eight border crossings for cars (and one for trains) along the 1,340 km long border. The southernmost four are open around the clock, the four further north only in daytime.
In addition, there are car ferries from Sweden, Estonia and Germany, to Turku, Helsinki and Vaasa.
Roads
Main roads hold the same standards as in Western Europe in general. Major highways raying out from Helsinki are motorways/freeways (divided, controlled access, with four or more lanes), as are some highways around bigger cities (e.g. Highway 4 north and south of Oulu), but otherwise roads are undivided 2-lane roads.
All highways (numbered 1-99) are paved, as are most regional roads (numbered 100-999), though local roads (with four numbers or no numbers at all) aren't nearly always paved, especially in sparsly populated areas.
Costs
As most EU countries, driving is rather expensive in Finland, with petrol/gasoline around 1.50€ a litre, and diesel 10-20 cents or so below.
There are no toll roads in Finland.
Stay safe
Animal collisions with deer, moose and reindeer are a main risk factor in Finland.
Winter driving can be difficult in Finland, especially when snow falls, and the plough vehicles need to clear the roads.