To get here and to live here
HOW TO GET HERE
Plane:
Most international flights to Finland arrive at Helsinki-Vantaa airport. From this airport, there are good domestic flights and bus connections going to other Finnish towns and cities. Blue1 flies direct to Pori from Stockholm, Sweden. There are also flights from Ryan Air going to the Tampere airport.
Airlines:
More information about airports & transport connections: www.finavia.fi
Train:
Timetables of the Finnish Railways (Valtionrautatiet, VR): www.vr.fi/eng
Bus:
Bus and coach services: www.matkahuolto.fi/en
Ferry:
It is also possible to travel to Finland by ferry from Sweden, Estonia, Germany, and Poland.
What to pack; Checklist
Before you leave
• Make sure you have a valid health insurance
• Book a flight ticket
• Reserve accommodation
• Think about how you are going to pay your finances in Finland
• Make copies of important documents such as identification document, insurance card, etc.
• Check the electric voltage
Hand luggage
• Flight ticket
• Valid identification document: passport / identification card
(Note: please check that your passport is valid for the whole period of your stay in Finland. The EU/EEA citizens should also bring their passport if they are planning to travel outside the European Union, e.g. Russia)
• Cash
• Debit / credit card
• European Health Insurance Card / Insurance documents
• Details of your destination (name, address, telephone number)
• Letter of acceptance from host university
• 2 passport size photos
• Camera
Suitcase
• Copies of important documents
• Clothes
• Comfortable shoes
• Personal items that will help you feel at home
• Photos of family and home
• Towels
• Bed linen
• Adaptor for electrical appliances (220V)
Be sure to check your baggage allowance with the airline or train company which you are travelling with. Paying for excess baggage can be very expensive! If you do not have any space left in your suitcase, it is advisable to put the rest of your baggage in package boxes/parcels and send them to your address in Finland. It is cheaper to send it by package boxes than paying for excess luggage.
LIVING IN SATAKUNTA
Living costs per month
On average, the living costs in Finland are similar to the rest of Europe. Of course the monthly expenses depend on where you live and how much you spend on your leisure time activities, food, social life, books, and so on. You are advised to have 150 € monthly for leisure time activities, because there are always unforeseen expenses.
Food 200 €
Accommodation 150 – 300 €
Hobbies & leisure time 150 €
Total 500 – 750 €
The budget above is an estimate, to cover one month's expenses.
Please be prepared for first expenses upon your arrival:
Deposit rent 200 – 350 €
Bike 40 – 100 €
Registration 40 €
Money and banks
The currency in Finland is Euro. Value Added Tax (8 – 22 %) is included in everything varying from clothing to hotels and restaurants.
Credit cards (Visa, Euro card, MasterCard, American Express) and debit cards (Maestro, Visa Electron) can be used for cash withdrawal from automatic dispensers (ATM). You can also use credit cards for payments in the trains and buses. Credit cards can be used in all the shops and restaurants, but debit cards are not accepted everywhere - it depends on the store and restaurant. You can ask your student tutor for help in opening a bank account.
Cash dispensers are open 24 hours a day. They are called Otto and can be recognized by the orange colour. Banks are usually open from Monday until Friday, from 10.00 until 16.30. On Saturdays and Sundays they are closed. The rates of exchange are the same in all Finnish banks and it is advisable to change large amounts of money at a time to avoid service charges.
You can also open a Finnish bank account for free. When you open your bank account, please remember to bring your passport with you. A Finnish bank account might be needed if, for example, you want to pay Finnish bills or receive a salary. You can also include online services in your account if you wish to pay bills and make transactions using the Web bank.
Post office and mail services
Post offices are generally open Monday to Friday from 8.00 until 18.00. However, opening hours may vary depending on the office. Stamps are available at post offices and almost every shop, kiosk and store. You’ll find orange mail boxes all over the town where you can drop your stamped mail. International phone service is also available in the main post offices. You also have the option of sending and receiving ordinary mail through our post office service. It might take longer but a postcard or a letter from home might brighten your day. Through the post office you can also send or receive packages from home in case you have forgotten something back home.
Shopping hours
Most stores are open from 9.00 to 17.00 on weekdays and until 14.00 or 16.00 on Saturdays. Bigger supermarkets are normally open until 21.00 on weekdays and until 18.00 on Saturdays. On Sundays the shops are closed except for the summertime and a few weeks before Christmas.
Mobile Phones and Phone Cards
Mobile phones (kännykkä) are very common in Finland. There are several mobile phone telephone service providers in Finland and the prices are relatively low. Most popular operators are Sonera, Elisa, DNA and Saunalahti. If you wish to make long distance calls your best option might be to buy a prepaid international phone card which can be accessed from any landline or mobile phone. They can be bought for example in the R-Kioski shops.
Public Holidays
Banks, post offices and most shops are closed and there is no tuition during the following public holidays:
- November 3, 2012; All Saint’s Day
- December 6; Independence Day
- December 24 and 25; Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
- December 26; Boxing Day
- January 1; New Year’s Day
- January 6; Epiphany
- March 29, 2013; Good Friday
- March - April 31 - 1, 2013; Easter
- May 1; First of May / Labour Day
- May 9, 2013; Ascension Day
- June 22, 2013; Midsummer Day
ACCOMODATION
Private brokers of rental apartments for example:
Apartments, Porin YH-Asunnot
Porin YH-Asunnot Oy, Otavankatu 3, 28100 PORI
www.porinyhasunnot.fi
Location of student houses: Itäpuisto 1, Asemapäällikönkatu 3, Vapaudenkatu 5 and Taiteilijankatu 1 are located in the centre. Tekniikantie 4 and Korpraalintie 36 are located on the western side of Pori about 3-4 km from the centre, Tommilantie 1 is located also on the western side of Pori about 2 km from the centre. Peräsimentie 1 is located on the northern side of Pori about 2 km from the centre and Maamiehenkatu 10 is also about 2 km from the centre.