Tours for 1 day in Finland. Day trips to Finland and Estonia

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The program states Moscow time(MSK; UTC+03:00).

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DEPARTURE

05:55 - Departure: Art. m. Veterans. Novatorov Boulevard, 98-100.
06:00 - Stop: Art. m. Leninsky pr. Approximate stopping area: Leninsky pr., 129.
06:10 - Stop: Art. m. Moskovskaya. Approximate stopping area: Moskovsky pr., between st. Tipanova and Aviation st.
06:15 - Stop: Art. m. Victory Park. Approximate stop area: Moskovsky pr., metro stop.
06:20 - Stop: Art. m. Moscow Gates. Approximate stopping area: pl. Moscow Gates, Ligovsky pr., 276.
06:25 - Stop: Art. m. Bypass channel. Approximate stopping area: Ligovsky pr., 130-142.
06:27 - Stop: Art. m. Ligovsky pr. Approximate stopping area: Ligovsky pr., 82-84 .
06:30 - Stop: Art. m. Pl. uprisings. Approximate stopping area: Ligovsky pr., 30, near the shopping center "Gallery".
06:45 - Stop: Art. m. Black River. Approximate stopping area: st. Academician Krylova, 2; bus stop to the right of the subway exit.

TRIP PROGRAM

10:00 - 11:00 - Customs point Brusnichnoye, Svetogorsk or Torfyanovka (the choice of the point is based on the situation at the customs). Passage of the border Russia - Finland.
11:10 - 12:00 - Parking: Shop "Laplandia". It takes ~40-50 minutes to visit the store.
12:10 - 12:50 - Parking: Fish supermarket "Disa's Fish". It takes ~30-40 minutes to visit the store.
The visit to the border shops can be moved to the end of the program, after the visit to Lappeenranta (for better safety of the purchased products)!
13:10 - 16:40 - City of Lappeenranta. Time spent: ~2.5 - 3.5 hours. Program in the city:

• 13:10 - Stop: City center. Address: Lappeenranta, Kauppakatu, 40. Nearby: shopping center "Gallery".
• 13:15 - Stop: Hypermarket "PRISMA". Address: Lappeenranta, Puhakankatu, 9. Nearby: Supermarket "LIDL".
• 13:20 - Stop: Supermarket "LIDL". Old Lidl. Address: Lappeenranta, Helkalankatu, 1. Nearby: Shops "Biltema", "Family Center", "Gigantti", "Intersport", "Luhta Outlet", "Robinhood"; Wholesale warehouse "KESPRO".
• 14:50 - Stop: Supermarket "LIDL". Old Lidl. Address: Lappeenranta, Helkalankatu, 1.
• 14:55 - Stop: City center. Address: Lappeenranta, Kauppakatu, 40.
• 15:00 - 16:30 - Parking: Hypermarket "PRISMA". Address: Lappeenranta, Puhakankatu, 9.
• 16:35 - Stop: City center. Address: Lappeenranta, Kauppakatu, 40.
• 16:40 - Stop: Supermarket "LIDL". Old Lidl. Address: Lappeenranta, Helkalankatu, 1.
• 16:40 - Departure from the city of Lappeenranta to the border.
  

17:00 - 18:30 - Customs point Brusnichnoye, Svetogorsk or Torfyanovka (the choice of the point is based on the situation at the customs). Passage of the border Finland - Russia.
In case of a delay in crossing the border, in order to save time, TAX FREE checks do not receive money directly at the border, only stamps are put on the checks!

ARRIVAL

21:00 - 23:00 - Arrival in the city of St. Petersburg:

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

* The time of embarkation / disembarkation and stay at the points of the route indicated in the trip program is approximate. real time stay at each of the points listed in the program depends on the situation on the roads, the speed of customs clearance and other related factors. The trip program can be adjusted by the guide along the way, in case of delays (including reduction in time and number of planned stops) or other circumstances. Full implementation of the declared program for reasons beyond the control of the Contractor is not guaranteed.
** Exact time bus departures for each specific date may differ from those stated in the trip program - see the time at, or check with our operators by phone. Also note that on google map the approximate bus stop area is indicated, in which one stop is made for boarding passengers. The bus driver chooses the exact stopping place in the specified area!
*** The exact time of arrival in St. Petersburg depends on the situation on the roads, the speed of customs clearance and other related factors. In the event of long delays in customs clearance, difficult traffic conditions or other circumstances, the arrival time may be later than indicated. Return before the closing of the subway is not guaranteed.
**** Please note that the Google map shows an approximate bus stop area with one drop-off stop. The bus driver chooses the exact stopping place in the specified area!

Today I will talk about bus tours to Finland and their specifics. The fact is that this country has long and firmly settled in the hearts of lovers of bus tours, especially those living in the North-West region. And I know at least a few good reasons for that. Firstly, the close location: the nearest checkpoint from St. Petersburg can be reached in 3-4 hours, and from Vyborg in 40 minutes. Secondly, attractive prices for tours. Thirdly, of course, the need to “roll back” (this is a well-established word among travelers that means receiving the required number of stamps from the country that issued the visa) multi-Schengen, which is still willingly issued to citizens of the territories closest to the Finnish border for a year, two or even more. Frankly, I personally mostly go to Finland just for last reason, because I often and with pleasure take the opportunity to ride around other European countries on last-minute tickets, for which it is very useful to always have an open visa in my passport.

The most popular among our compatriots are one-day tours to Finland: in a few hours it is quite possible to have time to see some nice little town, plus buy "Fairy" and fish in border shops. Those traveling for several days already usually combine Finland with some other country.

Bus to bus strife: tours or transfers

Before choosing a route, you should take care of the following difference: there are, in fact, bus tours, when you are taken to various interesting places, and the guide on the bus tells all sorts of curious things about them. And there are just scheduled (regular) buses that will take you to Finland only “there” or “back and forth” without any sound accompaniment and without stopping while waiting for tourists to drink coffee / smoke / buy buns. This point needs to be realized: once in my memory, the company caught up with the LuxExpress regular bus in a taxi and then loudly resented that they were abandoned along the road.

On the other hand, if your main goal is to “roll back”, perhaps just a regular bus will be for you. the best option than a tour. The same LuxExpress drives to Finland very modern and comfortable vehicles with sockets and personal TVs. It will be more expensive than a one-day tour, but you don’t stop anywhere, you don’t get distracted by the guide’s voice, but you calmly write your dissertation on soil science all 8-10 hours from St. Petersburg.

There is one more detail. If you still choose a tour, try not to get involved with small and dubious offices. The same applies to private taxis and minibuses. The track "Scandinavia" (St. Petersburg - Finland), alas, is notorious for its regular traffic accidents. European companies of the LuxExpress and Ecolines level work according to European standards, which means that drivers there must change after a certain number of hours. For many domestic travel agencies, this regime is too expensive. Once, in my memory, a bus (with me inside) rammed a bump stop and went into a ditch due to driver fatigue / sleep. After that, for 5 hours on a December night, we danced round the tightly stuck transport, waiting for the one sent to replace it.

Prices for tours to Finland, if we are considering large tourist buses, start from 700 rubles. True, a short minibus tour can be found for 500 rubles, although you won’t see much in the country for this money (in fact, only a checkpoint and a couple of shops). Regular buses will be more expensive: 550-900 rubles. in one direction, but such companies often have seasonal discounts.

Customs subtleties

First: if you are going to Finland for just a day, then you are not allowed to bring alcohol there in any quantity.

And secondly, no matter how many days you travel, if you enter Finland by car (a bus, of course, this is what it is) - you should not have more than two packs of cigarettes with you. The last rule is relatively new, and many do not know about it.

Shopping on bus tours

In fact, bus tours are not the most convenient way buy in Finland, but it's no secret that many "travelers" look at them that way. Wherever you go, you will probably be dropped off at least at some stores, most often in Finland these are:

• Prisma,
• Lidl,
• Stockmann.

But the most suitable tours for purchases are trips to Imatra / Lappeenranta. For those who are interested in this topic in detail, I refer to the article, but here I will only briefly mention the coveted goods and places where they can be obtained.

Trout and Fairy

The absolute hit, of course, is the fish. She literally starts throwing herself into your bags almost immediately after crossing the border - raw, salty, smoked. In fact, raw fish (not heat-treated, that is, salted too), like meat in the same form, is prohibited from being imported into the Russian Federation according to customs rules. Yes, and officially smoked / canned, you can take home no more than 5 kg. But in fact, the customs officers turn a blind eye to this, because almost every second bus tries to smuggle this unfortunate salted salmon or trout from Finland, and, to be honest, it is a sin to deprive people of such pleasure.

Next in popularity are general commodities, for which bus tourists raid cheap Laplandia and Rajamarket supermarkets. These are household detergents, coffee, olive oil, thermal underwear. For some reason, it is believed that all these goods in Finland are much better in quality than in Russia. Personally, I did not notice anything like that; however, it is really difficult to resist buying Fazer chocolates.

In principle, visiting only two of the most famous border shops: Laplandia and Disa "s Fish allows you to satisfy the passion of domestic tourists for trout and Fairy. A stop at them is included in the program of the vast majority of bus tours in the directions of Imatra / Lappeenranta /. But visit Duty Free is more difficult, buses stop there only if the border was crossed quickly, and there is a little extra time left.But just in case, you should know that in 2016 Laplandia at the Svetogorsk checkpoint was closed, only the one at the Brusnichnoye checkpoint remained ".

On a note:

• For those traveling to Kotka/Hamina/Helsinki/Porvoo: there is no Laplandia at the Torfyanovka checkpoint and never has been.
• For those who are generally only interested in Laplandia and Disa's Fish: many travel agencies offer the most truncated tour "Finland for 2 hours." In fact, his program only includes crossing the border, stopping at these two stores and returning back.

One day tours

One day tours- the "highlight" of Finland: in fact, you can count on the fingers of one hand the countries where you can go by bus from Russia and return in less than a day. Prices for them start at 700 rubles (Imatra, Lappeenranta) and reach 1500 rubles (Helsinki,), which, of course, directly depends on the mileage.

Imatra and Lappeenranta

Most popular destinations for one-day haulers, visas can be a disappointment for those who plan to experience the European flair immediately after crossing the border. The truth is that both of these towns are very provincial, quiet and, in general, not very touristy. I combine them under one heading, since there is nothing to go from one to the other, although officially Imatra has its own checkpoint (Svetogorsk / Imatra), and Lappeenranta has its own (Cowberry / Nuijamaa). Often, bus drivers, regardless of the city of destination, choose the point where the line is smaller.

From this couple smaller and much more modest. There are no special architectural, cultural or historical sights there, with the exception, perhaps, of the waterfall on the Saimaa Canal, but its inspection is usually not included in the tour program. Most involve a stop of choice at the water park - this is what people go to Imatra for. You should know that the water park is not located in the town itself, but nearby, so if you stay there, you will not see anything else.

Lappeenranta is larger and livelier than its neighbor: it even has a center where you can walk around, and a small bay where you can look at the boats. If you are interested in purchases, then your choice is definitely Lappeenranta, because it is here:

• stockman,
• Lidl,
• Prisma,
• Rajamarket,
• Shopping center "Gallery" with clothes and other non-grocery goods.

Another specific attraction of Lappeenranta is the huge second-hand store Kirppis, located near the Prisma store: hipsters come here for vintage clothes, and housewives for home and garden utensils, and young parents for children's things, and everyone else for other various things.

Savonlinna and Mikkeli

The town is located approximately on the same side as Lappeenranta, but further away. If a one-day tour for the aforementioned couple starts in the morning and ends in the evening, then a one-day tour to Sanvonlinna takes a full day (usually leaving St. Petersburg from the evening of the previous day). And even this does not make much sense: Sanvonlinna or the “land of lakes” is, first of all, nature. It makes sense to go there for a few days, equipped with fishing rods / nets / tents / friends.

The tour in the schedule is similar to the Sanvonlinna tour and differs from it only in the nature of the tourist facilities. - former and current military town with related museums and attractions. It makes sense to visit it if you like the region as much as military history.

Kotka and Hamina

Since these towns are located nearby, they are often combined into a single tour, also one-day. The drive to them is longer than to Imatra and Lappeenranta, but here you can already admire something: various churches, parks, the estate of the Russian emperor and the marine aquarium (in Kotka).

Moreover, Kotka and Hamina lie on the Helsinki highway, respectively, you will have to go there through another checkpoint - Torfyanovka / Vaalimaa. This border checkpoint is considered to be busier than Brusnichnoye or Svetogorsk.

Helsinki and Porvoo

The minimum duration of the bus tour is 24 hours (departure from St. Petersburg in the evening). In this scenario, you have about 6-7 hours left to explore the city, which, in principle, is enough to form a primary idea about it. Usually tourists are given a choice: to drop them off in the center or send them to a large shopping complex (formerly Itakeskus) on the outskirts. The second option is hardly worth the effort: amateurs shopping centers, as I said, it’s worth going not to Helsinki, but to Lappeenranta.

The trip to Helsinki usually takes the same amount of time as the Helsinki tour and follows the same schedule. The city is quite large and interesting, with an abundance of museums and small author's shops. This, of course, is also not a direction for mass shopping, it is rather one of the “wander/see/find something exclusive” series.

Tampere

Despite the fact that Tampere is the furthest away from all other "one-day" cities for tours in Finland, most companies manage to somehow turn trips there in the same day (well, a little more). The question is how much you need it. Tampere is a pretty lake town with museums and even beaches, and a rich variety of boat cruise options. Here, again, it is good to go for a few days and explore the surroundings.

One of the most striking Tampere attractions is the Särkänniemi amusement park (this is where the Eden water park is located). The problem is that all this beauty is not in the city itself, but under it, and to visit only one water park in a standard one-day bus tour allocated about 2 hours. Which, of course, is not offensive enough.

Tours for several days

For those who are willing to spend a few days researching this unusual country, the choice, of course, is much richer. Prices for weekend tours range from 5,000–9,000 rubles, tours lasting 3 days or more cost an average of 11,000 rubles.

Trips around Northern Finland (lakes, recreation centers, fishing, sauna), Jyväsklä ( autumn festival light), Loviisa (the charm of wooden fishermen's houses). Even on (untouched wildlife) can be reached by bus (more precisely, you can get to Turku, and from there by ferry - after all, the islands).

The main catch is that you really need to really love Finland specifically in order to select more and more new route options for these small cozy places. To be completely honest, after you see the first 2-3, they become very, very similar to each other.

Finland + ...

Separate story - combined tours, in which Finland is the place of border crossing and one or two overnight stays. Prices for such trips can pleasantly please tourists who are greedy for the maximum number of countries visited: for example, a three-day tour of Finland + Sweden may well fit into the budget of 8,000 rubles. A couple of times I also used burning offers of 5,000 rubles.

However, I have to note that almost always semi-bus tours are disguised as ferry tours: it is understood that tourists go to just dry land, in order to then board a ferry in the Finnish capital and sail further - to Sweden, Estonia or Germany. One of the most common combinations Helsinki + + Tallinn usually looks like this. If you look at Finland on a map, you will understand why: to get to neighboring country dry land from there would be too long. I note that ferries are different, and not always spending the night on a ferry means sleeping in a horizontal position on a human bed: I had to camp in chairs that are not much different from bus ones.

Reminder to bus traveler

In order to avoid surprises, and indeed always, if in a good way, you need to not only carefully read the tour program, but also not be ashamed to throw questions at your travel agency manager, and then, already on the way, continue to bombard the guide with them. Due to traffic conditions and other incomprehensible circumstances, the actual program may differ dramatically from that stated on the site. Although, in fairness, I note that this usually does not happen with large and respected offices.

In order to get acquainted with the options for traveling Finland for 1 hour, select the most convenient one from those listed below. The differences between these programs are in the time of departure, the place of departure and the cost of the trip.

Our tours:

To Finland for 1 hour, Finnish visa rental.

Trips to Finland for an hour are the cheapest way to visit a neighboring country. The company "SprinTour" offers you to go to Finland for an hour by minibus, if you need to rent a visa and spend as little time as possible on it. This trip includes visiting a minimum number of Finnish border shops. By choosing a Finland tour for an hour, you can take the opportunity to do several things at once, open or close a Finnish visa, roll back the required number of days on a Finnish visa and at the same time carry out easy shopping abroad. Finland for an hour is one of the main directions of our company, so we can offer you several travel options “Finnish visa rental”

A morning trip on a comfortable minibus will allow you to run in a Finnish visa with minimal time. Along the way, during the trip, 2 shops are visited: Laplandia (Laplandia) and the fish store Disa's Fish (disa fish). Drivers selected shortest route for the collection and disembarkation of passengers.

The program of the trip “Finland for an hour from home”

• Days of the week: Daily
• Cost of the trip: Weekdays - 1200 rubles
  Saturday, Sunday - 1300 rubles / 1200 rubles**
  ** The cost is valid for passengers traveling in a group from one address!

The program is compiled according to Moscow time.

The trip program “Finland for an hour from the metro”

• Days of the week: Saturday, Sunday
• Cost of the trip: 1100 rubles

Passenger collection route No. 1

Passenger collection route No. 2

The program is compiled according to Moscow time

(*) Times are approximate. The exact time depends on the speed of crossing the border

Attention! SprintTour is not responsible for delays in transit due to customs or border formalities.

You can roll back a visa to Finland not only during the day, but also at night. Night tours allow you to run a visa by visiting and getting two days of stay in the country, according to the stamps in your passport.

The trip program “Finland for 1 hour” (2 days for stamps)

• Days of the week: Wednesday, Friday
• Cost: 2000 rubles

The tour program is compiled according to Moscow time.

With this tour, you go to Finland for an hour at night and spend two whole days on stamps, which has a positive effect on the issuance of a visa next time. You also get the opportunity to purchase high-quality Finnish goods.

(*) Times are approximate. The exact time depends on the speed of crossing the border

Having a Finnish visa allows you to travel almost all over Europe, however, according to the rules of the Schengen countries, the number of days spent in the country issuing the visa must be more than in other visited countries. That is, you can visit any city in Finland from the smallest to the capital - Helsinki. For those who like to travel around Europe, our company offers to carry out the “Finnish visa rental” service in the most convenient ways for you on comfortable Mercedes Sprinter buses. Running in a visa allows you to “get” the missing days, for this you only need to cross the border one or several times for cozy minibus from our company. For a quick trip to Finland for 1 hour, you can get the required stamp in your passport, spending only about 1 - in Finland.

Description

Finland or, as the Finns themselves call it, Suomi is a country of a thousand lakes in the east of the Scandinavian Peninsula, tours to Finland are beautiful in winter and summer. Beautiful forests and plains, numerous rivers and cozy beaches make this place ideal for outdoor recreation, as well as for fishing and various sports.

Geographical position

The total area of ​​Finland is 338,424 km². Its neighbors are Russia in the south, Norway in the north and Sweden in the west. The shores are washed by the waters of the Gulf of Finland and Bothnia Baltic Sea. The territory is divided into 12 liani (provinces). Finland also includes the Åland Islands - about 6.5 thousand small islands off the southwestern coast of the country.

Climate

The climate in Finland is predominantly continental. The southeastern part of the country has the highest average summer temperature in Scandinavia, while the western coast is one of the sunniest places in Northern Europe. Summer in Finland is quite warm ( average temperature+19 +20°С). But winter can be very severe and the thermometer at this time of the year fluctuates from -3°С to -15°С. In June and July, the water in the lakes reaches +20°C, so these months are the most favorable for visiting the country.

Resorts

Helsinki

Helsinki is the capital of Finland, in which the beautiful nature and modern city. The fourth part of it is various park areas, and a fresh sea breeze is felt in the air. The architecture of the city has its own interesting features and in it you can see both Eastern and Western European motifs. The historical center of the city is the Senate Square with majestic buildings Cathedral, University and Palace of the State Council.

Tampere

Tampere is a city of stunning beauty, which the inhabitants of Finland consider the most attractive place to live. It has over 20 interesting museums, as well as the Särkänniemi amusement park with attractions, a zoo, an aquarium and the Näsinneula observation tower.

Mikkeli

Mikkeli is one of the most important centers for outdoor activities and sports in Finland. Place to visit a large number of amazing water parks and swimming pools, as well as many attractions. Among them is the largest wax museum in the country.

Himos

Himos is a real paradise for all winter sports lovers. This is the perfect place for family vacation. Here is the most popular ski resort countries where, according to tradition, a variety of sports and entertainment events are held annually.

Espoo

Beautiful cozy city located in the south of the country. Every year it attracts a large number of tourists with its bewitching nature and a large number of interesting places. Here is the largest water park in Finland - "Serena", the Mormon Temple and much more.

Lapland

Lapland, which is considered the birthplace of Santa Claus, lies above the Arctic Circle and is considered one of the most amazing places Finland. Not far from its capital, Rovaniemi, in a cave cut into the Syvesenvaara fell, a themed Christmas Entertainment Center Santa Park, as well as the fabulous workshops and post office "Father Frost".

Kitchen

Finnish cuisine has a lot of features, the main of which is fish and meat dishes. Among the most famous and widespread fish dishes are: salmon (or “lohi”, as the Finns call it) freshly salted or hot smoked, the famous fish soup with cream and herbs, red caviar, which the Finns mix with sour cream and finely chopped onions and serve with toast , as well as rainbow trout or salmon in its own juice.
The main component of meat dishes is game: venison with wild berries, roast with mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam, Karelian meat in a pot, poultry dishes. Assorted berries, buns and jelly are usually served for dessert. From drinks, preference is given to coffee. It is also worth trying the products of the famous FAZER confectionery factory, which are offered in specialized cafes. From alcoholic beverages, home-made beer, different varieties of vodka (“Koskenkorva-vinna” and “Finland”), berry liqueurs infused with wild berries and herbs (“Lakkalikeri”, “Puolukkalikeri”, “Karpalolikeri”) are popular.

Population

About 5.3 million people live in Finland: Finns - 93%, Swedes - 6%, Sami people and Karelian peoples.

Religion

About 87% of the inhabitants are adherents of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. It is the state religion along with Orthodoxy (1% of the population).

Hours and work schedule

UTC+2
Time difference with Moscow: -1 hour. Switching to summer and winter time carried out simultaneously with Europe. Shops are open from 9:00 to 18:00 on weekdays, on weekends - from 9:00 to 14:00. Major stores may be open until 20:00. Banks are open from 9:15 to 16:15 on weekdays. Exchange offices work longer and seven days a week.

Language

The official languages ​​of Finland are Finnish and Swedish. The tourism sector also speaks English and sometimes Russian.

Currency

The national currency of Finland is Euro (EUR). Currency can be exchanged at banks (most favorable exchange rate), specialized points, hotels, large supermarkets, airports and seaports, at railway stations and post offices. You can cash out at ATMs. Plastic cards are accepted everywhere.

Visa regime

Finland is on the list of Schengen countries, so you will need a visa to travel there.

Transport message

Main international Airport country - Helsinki-Vantaa. In addition, international flights are accepted by Turku, Tampere-Pirkkala and Rovaniemi. The whole country is entangled in a dense network railways. An alternative to the train for traveling between cities in Finland can be a bus. Since the country has a fairly long sea coast, as well as a large number of lakes and rivers, it is well developed water transport. All ships run according to the schedule, which is strictly observed. Buses, trams and the metro operate in Helsinki. Tickets for any of these modes of transport can be purchased at newsstands, stations, or from the driver. Taxi rates may vary depending on the time of day. Both cash and credit cards are accepted for payment. Required to rent a car driver's license, driving experience of at least 1 year, passport and credit card as collateral.

Finland (in Finnish Suomi) is a country of a thousand lakes, stunningly beautiful and idyllic landscapes of the Lake District, virgin national parks fabulous Lapland, vibrant cities and the amazing Åland Islands.

Tour operator ICS offers tours to Finland: New Year's, ski, city tours, excursion tours. By purchasing sightseeing tours to Finland, you get the opportunity to visit several cities in one trip - Helsinki, Tampere, Lahti, Turku, Savonlinna, etc. SPA hotels, where the use of the water center is included in the price or choose leisure- Biking, kayaking or hiking with an overnight stay in a tent, go fishing. Everyone will find something of their own.

Winter holidays in Finland will undoubtedly be remembered for fabulous snowy landscapes, reindeer and dog sledding trips, and, of course, getting to know Santa Claus, who lives near Rovaniemi, in Lapland.

Ski resorts in Finland are famous for their well-prepared slopes and well-developed infrastructure.