Navigating Public Transportation in Rovaniemi: A Guide for Visitors

Public transportation in Rovaniemi has never quite catered to tourists, despite the fact that it functions fairly well for an Arctic small city. A separate public transport system has been created for tourists, which is significantly more expensive than our regular local transport. This is quite unfortunate because when public transportation coverage meets the demand, it ends up being very limited for us locals, even though there could be a substantial user base from tourism. For instance, the bus line to the airport was completely ended due to a lack of users (?!!!). This is quite disappointing for me and many other locals who use the airport, as the only options now are the much more expensive or unconvinient options like Airport Express, taxis, or getting a ride from a friend.

The Airport Express bus costs €8 per person each way, as does the Santa Claus bus that operates in winter. For a family of four (2adults, 2 kids), a round trip to Santa Claus Village costs €64*! (To my knowledge, children travel at the same price as adults.) On the regular public transport side, this same trip would cost a total of €19,80* with single tickets. (*Prices at the moment I wrote this post 8/2024.)

Do I need to use public transportation to activities like Northern light hunting or other guided tours? Mostly no, usually activity providers offer pick up service, but sometimes you have to get to the nearest pick up location. Find the best guided activities in Rovaniemi on GetYourGuide*. *Affiliate link. With no extra cost to you, I earn a small commission if you make a purchase.

In this post, I’ll go through the details of using Rovaniemi’s public transportation.

I hope this helps!

Public transportation in Rovaniemi, Lapland Finland.

Travel zones

The price of a bus trip depends on the number of zones in which you travel during a trip. Local buses operate in two zones (A and B) in Rovaniemi. The centre of the city, common areas around the city and Santa Claus Village (Arctic Circle) belong to zone A.

B zone is rarely used, but if your accommodation is far away from the city, like in Muurola, then you need to add Zone B to your ticket.

Ticket Types

If you are visiting Rovaniemi briefly, I recommend buying single tickets or 24-hour tickets. The 24-hour ticket is an excellent option if you plan to spend a day visiting Santa Claus Village or traveling between the village and the city, and maybe visiting Ounasvaara hill at the same day.

Single Ticket

Mobile Price for Adult (Zone A) €3,30
On the bus Price for Adults (Zone A) €3,60
Mobile Price for Children 1-16yo. (Zone A) €1,65
On the bus Price for Children 1-16yo. (Zone A) €1,80€

You can purchase single tickets on the bus with cash or most common debit/credit cards. When you are paying in cash, it is best option to have the exact fare or a bill of no more than 20 euros. The ticket allows you to transfer from one vehicle to another within 60 minutes.
Note: The mobile single ticket is cheaper than the one bought on the bus.
You can also purchase single tickets using the Waltti Mobile app
Note: Detailed instructions below.
or you can purchase the ticket from the Waltti ticket machine (The Waltti self-service ticket machine is located in Shopping Center Rinteenkulma, Koskikatu 25, 2nd floor).
Note: The validity of single tickets starts from the moment of purchase.

24-hour ticket

Price for Adult (Zone A) €9
Price for Children 1-16yo. (Zone A) €4,40

You can purchase 24-hour tickets using Waltti Mobile app or Waltti ticket machine. Note: Detailed instructions below
Note: The validity ticket starts from the moment of purchase.

Other prices

Strollers and prams 0 €
Bicycle 1,50 €
Large luggage 1,50 €
Pet 0 €

Step-by-step: Waltti Mobiili and how to use it

Steps 1 & 2

Download the Waltti Mobiili App
Get the app from the App Store or Play Store.
Open the App and Select Your Language
Choose your preferred language from the top right corner.

Steps 3 & 4

Select Your City
Scroll down and select “Rovaniemi (Linkkari)”.
Add Payment Information
You can add your payment details immediately or later. The app is now ready to use.

Step 5 How to Purchase Tickets

Go to “Buy” in the Menu
Select “Buy” from the bottom menu to choose your ticket type. If the ticket types appear in Finnish, here are the translations:
Kertalippu = Single Ticket
Vuorokausilippu = 24-hour ticket
Select Customer Group
Choose your customer group. If this appears in Finnish, here are the translations:
Aikuinen = Adult
Lapsi 1-16y = Children 1-16yo
Nuori 17-24y = Young Adult 17-24yo (This category often has the same price as an adult ticket, so its inclusion is a bit confusing.)

Steps 6 & 7

Select Zones
After choosing your customer group, the app will ask you to select zones. You’ll see a zone map at the top of the screen. Zone A ticket will get you to most destinations in Rovaniemi.
Proceed to Payment
After selecting your zone, you’ll move to the payment view. Here, you can add more tickets to your purchase by selecting “Add new ticket”.
Note: Remember that your ticket is valid from the moment you purchase it!

Step 8 How to find timetables and navigate

Travel Guide
Select “Travel guide” from the app’s bottom menu.
Set Your Route
In this view, you can choose your starting point, time, and destination. I find it easiest to use addresses, but you can also use your current location or search for a place on the map. (For example Santa Claus Village)
Note: The app includes common destinations such as Santa Claus Village and the city center (Keskusta or Centrum) without needing specific addresses.

Step 9

View Timetables
Once you’ve entered your departure and destination point, the app will provide a list of upcoming departure times and bus lines that will take you to your destination.
Note: Remember to check the date and time.
Select Your Departure
Click on the most convenient departure, and you’ll see a map that you can zoom in on. The map shows the nearest stop to your selected location.
Note: The original departure time is not the bus departure time. It is the time you should leave your starting point to reach the bus stop on time.

Please note that public transportation here doesn’t operate like it does in big cities. Most common buses typically run twice an hour on weekdays from 6 AM to 7 or 8 PM and about once an hour on weekends between 12 PM and 6 PM.