Besides an excellent and well-maintained road network, Finland also has good train and bus services. Ticket prices are affordable. Air travel is the easiest and quickest way to get to Lapland. For the carbon-conscious visitor, however, we recommend using trains and buses instead. The state-owned railway company VR offers overnight trains between Lapland and southern Finland where you can reserve a sleeping compartment for 1-3 people.
In order to protect Finnish nature and encourage exploring on foot, there are very few roads which allow cars inside the national parks or other nature preserves. There are, however, many free parking areas at the entrances and trailheads of all the national parks.
If you do not have access to a car or wish to lessen your carbon footprint and leave your car at home, most of the national parks in all of Finland are accessible by public transport. In the more remote areas buses can be infrequent or can change schedules depending on the season. Be sure to check the Directions and Maps sections under Destinations at nationalparks.fi for tips and links on public transportation.
Using a local taxi is also a good option and often cheaper than hiring a car for shuttling between the ending and starting points of a multi-day hike, or to get to and from the nearest bus stop or train station.
Compensating for air travel emissions
Nature tourism is a good way to promote nature conservation, because the economic benefits provided by tourism encourages the preservation of natural values in tourist destinations. However, travelling to a nature destination still produces carbon dioxide emissions, with air travel being the biggest culprit.
Switching from air travel to another mode of transport is one of the more effective ways to reduce one's personal carbon footprint. If, however, you decide to travel by air or there are no other options, you can explore the alternatives offered by carbon emissions compensation.
Calculating and receiving a compensation payment for your flight can easily be done on, for example, the myclimate.org website. On the website, you can also select the recipient of your compensation payment.