The fastest way to reach us all year round is to fly in from Helsinki. You can also take a train to Oulu, Rovaniemi or Kemijärvi and continue on to Kuusamo by bus or your own car. In the wintertime, there are also direct bus connections available from the Helsinki metropolitan area to Ruka.
Getting here
Getting to Kuusamo is easy!
You won’t need your own car when you’re here, because local public transport works well especially in the Ruka area.
Flying to Kuusamo
Finnair flies from Helsinki to Kuusamo all year round. The flight takes approximately one hour, and there are several daily flights available in the winter.
From Europe, during winter there are direct flights by Lufthansa from Frankfurt to Kuusamo once a week on Saturdays as well as two new routes: from Düsseldorf to Kuusamo by Eurowings once a week on Sundays and from Zürich to Kuusamo by Edelweiss Air once a week on Fridays.
An airport bus runs between the airport and Ruka in connection with scheduled flights.
Flying to Rovaniemi, by bus to Kuusamo
Using shuttle bus service, you get to travel directly from Kuusamo to Rovaniemi Airport. Shuttle service is running 26.6.-30.9.2023 to the Finnair flight AY534 on Wednesdays (departure is 14:15) and Saturdays (departure is 13:45/14:15), only on request.
You can also use this line to travel from Rovaniemi centre to Kuusamo (extra fee).
Driving to Ruka
When setting off from Helsinki, the most direct road to Kuusamo is Finnish national road 5, and the distance to cover is a little over 800 km. The route via Oulu is also favoured by many. You can find great places to take a break and refuel along the way.
Ruka has plenty of parking. There are charging stations for electric cars along the way and all around Kuusamo, see the bottom of this pages as well as page Parking.
Getting to Kuusamo by train and bus
You can take the environmentally friendly train to Oulu and Rovaniemi, from where you can continue on to Kuusamo by bus and then take a local bus to Ruka. And don’t forget the option of a car-carrier train: load your car on the train and get behind the wheel well-rested and refreshed in the morning.
The night train runs daily from Helsinki to Kemijärvi and there's a bus connection to Ruka. The car-carrier train continues to Kemijärvi three days a week (Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays). Vice versa, return departures by car-carrier train from Kemijärvi on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
You can find routes and schedules easily from Matkahuolto's online route guide.
Tickets are easily bought with a mobile phone on Reitit ja liput app (only in Finnish, available in Apple Store and Google Play). Please note: this app only works in mobile phones.
Directly from Ruka to Oulu
Onnibus partner Ruka Charter takes you from Oulu to Kuusamo* and directly from Ruka to Oulu as follows:
9.1.-1.5.2023: Mon, Thu, Fri and Sun.
4.5.-11.6.2023: Mon, Thu, Fri and Sun, from Kuusamo to Oulu (not from Ruka).
From 12.6.2023 onwards: Mon-Fri and Sun (not on Midsummer Day, Friday 23.6.)
21.-22.6.2023: Directly from Oulu to Ruka.
*) Please note: this bus does not continue from Kuusamo to Ruka.
Valid and future schedules are available on Ruka Charter website in Finnish, tickets can be purchased in Matkahuolto.fi.
Valid schedules and tickets are available on Onnibus website too:
Also Nevakivi takes you directly from Ruka to Oulu on Sundays. Other weekdays offer good connection between Kuusamo and Oulu.
Train + bus: Kemijärvi-Kuusamo
This bus connection is especially suited for guests arriving by night train to Kemijärvi. If the train is late, the bus waits at Kemijärvi for max. 60 minutes.
This route is operated daily. We reserve the right for changes.
x = The bus will stop here if needed.
| Kemijärvi-Kuusamo | Mon-Fri, Sat, Sun |
|---|---|
| Kemijärvi railway station | 9:15 |
| Kemijärvi ABC | 9:20 |
| Joutsijärvi | x |
| Hotel Suomutunturi | 9:55 |
| Sale Käylä | 10:50 |
| Ruka village (Kumpare Shopping Centre roundabout) | 11:10 |
| Rukajärvi school | x |
| Holiday Club Kuusamon Tropiikki | x |
| Kuusamo centre (Kelantie) | 11:40 |
| Kuusamo - Kemijärvi | Mon-Fri, Sat, Sun |
|---|---|
| Kuusamo centre (Kelantie) | 16:20 |
| Holiday Club Kuusamon Tropiikki | x |
| Rukajärvi school | x |
| Ruka village (Kumpare Shopping Centre roundabout) | 16:50 |
| Sale Käylä | 17:10 |
| Hotel Suomutunturi | 18:05 |
| Joutsijärvi | x |
| Kemijärvi ABC | 18:40 |
| Kemijärvi railway station | 18:45 |
Detailed schedules and tickets at Matkahuolto.fi:
Kemijärvi = Kemijärvi railway station
Ruka = Ruka village (roundabout at Shopping Centre Kumpare)
Kuusamo = Kuusamo city centre (Kelantie, Ervastin aukio square)
Train + Bus: Oulu-Kuusamo from 5.6.2023 onwards
This bus connection is fitted to the timetable of certain trains arriving/leaving via Oulu.
Kuusamo Oulu: Mon-Fri at 4:30-7:30.
Oulu-Kuusamo: Mon-Fri at 20:30-23:30.
Please note: The only way to get from Ruka to Kuusamo (an return) is by taxi.
From Kajaani to Kuusamo by bus
Bus connection from Kajaani to Kuusamo operates year round. This connection is very useful when travelling from Kuusamo to Hossa during 5.6.-1.10.2023. The whole schedule is available on Matkahuolto website and Kuusamo-Hossa on page Buses.
By bus via Oulu
A bus runs between Oulu and Kuusamo every day. You can take a bus from Helsinki to Kuusamo if you change buses once in Oulu.
SkiBus from Oulu to Ruka
A skibus runs from Oulu to Ruka and back in January–April every Saturday, additional service available during the weeks of Finnish winter holidays.
Local transportation in Kuusamo
Airport Bus, SkiBus, Karhunkierros Trail Bus, HossaBus... Local transportation services are being developed all the time!
Arriving by electric car
Check charging points on map: latauskartta.fi.
When driving from Helsinki to Kuusamo, you can recharge your electric car with a high power charger at Graani’s McDonalds in Mikkeli. When arriving along road number 5, there is a Neste My recharge station in Neste Kontiomäki (Paltamo) with 6 high power chargers as well as a recharge infra four car high power charger in Suomussalmi at Jalonniemi House.
We have listed charging points in Kuusamo on page Parking.
Luggage storage for travelers, e.g. when going hiking or waiting for a late flight
There is a small luggage room in connection with the tourist information point Ruka Info, located in Kauppakeskus Kumpare in Ruka village. The price of the luggage storage is 7 €/day and 10 €/7 days per large bag or a few small bags of the same party. The space cannot accommodate skis or boards. Luggage storage is open according to the opening hours of Ruka Info (note possible exceptions in opening hours).
Scandic Rukahovi in Ruka village rents storage cages in the hotel's ski storage during the summer for tourists, also other than those staying at the hotel. Price 15 €/storage, payment to the hotel reception and the key to the storage cage can be left in storage at the hotel reception for e.g. during the hike. Ski storage is located behind the reception on the same floor, guidance from the hotel reception.