During summer, you can board Ukkopekka for a memorable dinner cruise around the Turku archipelago. In town, check out the Turku Art Museum (Turku taidemuseo), an excellent showcase for Finnish pop and Nordic art.
The lines between Turku and Salo and between Turku and Tampere are normal after a fire caused weekend delays. However, the commuter line between Suintio and Helsinki is to be closed (a contentious decision).
Turku Central Station
The station is mostly clad in Finnish granite and its distinguishing features are the two pairs of statues holding spherical lamps on either side of the main entrance. They have featured in several major advertising campaigns by the state-owned railway operator VR, even appearing as animated characters in a rap song.
The train station’s bottom floor hosted waiting halls for different classes, ticket sales, the office of the station master and a mail office. The top floors housed apartments.
Today the station offers passenger train connections along the Rantarata line to Helsinki and to the north via Toijala towards Tampere and Oulu. Direct trains to Rovaniemi are available daily.
Buses to the Helsinki-Vantaa Airport operate through Turku Central station, both a municipal connection operated by HSL and a private express bus from Finnair that does not accept HSL tickets. Foli transportation also operates a route between the port and the station through Kupittaa every hour.
Fori Ferry
The Fori ferry (named after its Swedish name, “farja”) is a beloved city attraction that takes passengers nonstop back and forth across the Aura River. Fori first went into service in 1904. The light traffic ferry can carry up to 75 people at a time.
Fori has been fitted with electric motors and an electric drive-train system designed by Finnish company Visedo. It will operate as it has for over a century, although it will now run on battery power rather than diesel.
You can rent an electric picnic boat from Lana boats to explore the Aurajoki river. It’s also fun to visit Honkapirtti, a longstanding Finnish tradition of enjoying pea soup and pannukaku at this historic food hall.
Buses
The bus network is quite comprehensive in Finland. It connects most cities and towns, even to remote destinations such as Lapland. Private companies operate long-distance connections that are often faster and cheaper than trains.
Pieksamaki is served by commuter and long-distance buses operated by Sigone, KSL and VR. The local buses have 17 lines in total, including the main Keskuskatu route between the Central station and Sibeliuksenkatu. There are also services to Jappila, Rautalampi, Suonenjoki and Virtasalmi.
The standard of passenger trains in Finland is high and the trains are spacious and comfortable. There is a wide range of amenities and the long-distance trains offer sleeping cabins. The train network covers 9,216 km (5,727 mi) of tracks. The track gauge is 1,524 mm (4 ft 11+27/32 in) and the network is owned by the state-owned company VR. The majority of the passenger rail services radiate from Helsinki. The trains run on the main and side railways.
Archipelago
The port is a major shipping point in Finland with one third as many passengers as Helsinki but thirty times more cargo annually. It is also one of the most important cultural centres of the country with museums, galleries and a vibrant nightlife scene.
The city centre is a maze of contrasts where trendy eateries sit right next to medieval structures and the family-friendly Forum Marinum sits alongside notorious prisons. Across the river on Ruissalo island, Turku university’s botanical garden and its natural pathways to oak forests offer a real treat for nature lovers.
A visit to the city would be incomplete without stepping into a sauna for a true Finnish experience. For art enthusiasts, the Turku Museum of Contemporary Art (Ars Nova) features works from both famous and lesser known contemporary artists. For the best deals on bus tickets, buy them online from Matkahuolto or Onnibus prior to your trip. Buying them on the day from the driver can be quite expensive.
