I used to be actually trying ahead to my journey to Finland… however I used to be fearful about simply how a lot my 25-day bicycle tour via the nation was going to value. In spite of everything, I had heard from numerous mates, strangers and respected journey bloggers that the Scandinavian international locations of Finland, Sweden and Norway are a few of the most costly locations on the planet to dwell, work and journey, however I had by no means been to any of those locations for myself… till now!
After slowly making my means by bike via Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, I took the ferry to Helsinki, Finland and commenced my bicycle touring journey in a rustic recognized for its expansive forests and sauna tradition.
Would my 25-day bike journey via Finland bankrupt me? Or had all of the rumors about the price of touring in Finland been a whole and utter lie?
Ferry From Tallinn To Helsinki – €42.00 EUR
My travels in Finland started with an costly 42 Euro ferry journey from Tallin, Estonia to Helsinki, Finland. I say the journey was costly as a result of in Estonia I paid lower than 9 Euros for a 2-hour ferry boat experience from Heltermaa to Rohuküla. An identical 2-hour ferry boat experience from Tallinn to Helsinki value virtually 5 instances that worth! Absolutely this was an indication of issues to return.
Web SIM card – €21.88 EUR
As quickly as I arrived in Helsinki, Finland, my first process was to buy a SIM card for my telephone so I might have Web entry all through my time within the nation. I walked into the primary mobile store I may discover (Elisa) and bought a SIM card for 21.88 Euros that might give me limitless Web for a whole month.
This was essentially the most I had paid for Web entry on my telephone since leaving Poland greater than two months prior and passing via 4 completely different international locations in that point, however let me let you know, the Web in Finland is freaking phenomenal! Irrespective of the place I used to be within the nation (whether or not I used to be in an enormous metropolis, small metropolis, or tenting in the midst of the forest) I had Web entry on my telephone. Even once I was currled up inside a bear conceal on the sting of the Finland/Russia border (examine that right here), I had Web entry on my telephone, which stored me entertained for hours on finish whereas I sat in quiet anticipation of a wild bear crossing my path.
Utilizing my telephone’s wi-fi hotspot tethering possibility, I used to be ready to make use of the SIM card in my telephone to observe HD movies on my laptop computer laptop, obtain a number of gigabytes of podcasts and music, and proceed working with ease whereas I used to be touring in regards to the nation. The Web in Finland just isn’t solely reasonably priced (and much inexpensive than what I pay for Web again residence in the US), however it’s quick, dependable, out there virtually all over the place, unrestricted and completely limitless.
Meals & Drinks – €188.34 EUR
Throughout my 25 days in Finland, meals was by far my costliest expense. Consuming out (which I did just a few instances within the cities of Helsinki and Kajaani) was extremely costly. I paid $12 USD for a “Veggie Delight” SUBWAY sandwich… and greater than $22 USD for a veggie burger and fries at a restaurant in Kajaani.
More often than not I used to be in Finland, I shopped on the native supermarkets (both the Ok-Grocery store or S-Market) and ready all my very own meals. Though the meals out there on the supermarkets in Finland is a little more costly that what I used to be paying for a similar meals in different European international locations, the costs on meals weren’t practically as outrageous as I assumed they might be. Procuring on the supermarkets and getting ready my very own meals saved me some huge cash.
Lodging – €74.00 EUR
Though I solely spent three nights sleeping in formal lodging throughout my time in Finland (I camped within the forests the remainder of the time), the price of lodging was appreciable to my total spending for the month. Throughout my first two nights in Helsinki, Finland, I cut up the price of an AirBNB house with my buddy Rob, who was becoming a member of me for the primary week of my bike tour within the nation. Then, on the finish of our time collectively, Rob and I as soon as once more shared the price of a resort room within the central Finland city of Kajaani. To be sincere, Rob paid for many of those lodging… and I solely paid a fraction of what he paid for the locations. I didn’t need to spend that a lot cash on a spot to sleep, however he was keen and capable of shell out the additional money for a pleasant clear place to put his head for the night time.
Most inns in Finland (these exterior of Helsinki, anyway) value between 55 and 80 Euros (if you happen to had been fortunate). The inns/flats in Helsinki and different main cities had been often way more costly than this. If I had chosen to remain in additional inns and flats throughout my time in Finland, my go to to the nation actually would have value an entire lot extra. However due to Finland’s “Freedom to Roam” rules, I used to be capable of save an enormous amount of money my sleeping within the woods, bathing in close by lakes, and powering up my electronics with using my small photo voltaic panel and any out there electrical containers I used to be capable of finding alongside the way in which.
New Backside Bracket – €39.00 EUR
In extra to all of the issues you possibly can plan for on any sort of journey (reminiscent of lodging, transportation and meals), there are often just a few surprising bills that pop up throughout your travels… and my journey via Finland was no exception. Throughout my time in Finland I needed to buy a brand new backside bracket for my bicycle (a fundamental upkeep expense after three stable years in intense bicycle touring adventures all around the globe) and a brand new sleeping pad after the earlier pad I used to be utilizing acquired a gap in it and commenced to slowly leak air as I slept on it every night time.
New Sleeping Pad – €34.96 EUR
Workplace Provides – €8.71 EUR
Throughout my time in Finland I additionally spent just a few Euros on work-related merchandise, reminiscent of a brand new journal, pens, pencils, and so on. As a result of I work and journey on the identical time, these few fundamental workplace provides are important to my life on the highway. However to a typical traveler, these few extra bills would probably be pointless.
Practice from Kajaani to Helsinki – €86.00 EUR
On the finish of my bike tour in Finland, I made a decision to take the prepare again to Helsinki from the town of Kajaani in central Finland. This prepare experience took about 6.5 hours and price a complete of 86 Euros. Taking the prepare was a reasonably hefty expense for me, however it was extremely simple to do (I bought my ticket on-line and had no issues bringing my bicycle on board the prepare).
Bus to Helsinki Airport – €5.00 EUR
Throughout my final day in Finland I took a bus from the outskirts of Helsinki to the airport. The price of this 1-hour bus experience was simply 5 Euros… and since my bicycle was packed away inside a cardboard bike field on the time, there was no extra value for transporting my bike and different belongings.
Flight from Helsinki, Finland to Dublin, Eire – €150.00 EUR
My last main expense throughout my travels in Finland concerned the flight in another country – wherein I flew from Helsinki, Finland to Dublin, Eire for the following main leg of my 2014 bicycle touring journey. I booked this brief 1-way flight with Norwegian Airways and it set me again an excellent $200 USD (or roughly 150 Euros). This worth included not solely my ticket, however the associated fee for transporting each my bicycle and an additional piece of checked baggage for my tenting gear, clothes and different private gadgets.
Whole For 25-Days Of Touring in Finland – €649.89 Euros
Ultimately, my 25-day journey via Finland value me €649.89 Euros (about $864 USD). Contemplating the truth that I spent most nights tenting in my tent, this can be a appreciable amount of cash. I’ve rented flats and stayed in different international locations for longer lengths of time (like Croatia) for a lot much less cash than this, so the price of journey in Finland is unquestionably considerably inflated. However that being stated, the price of my practically month-long travels via one of many world’s most costly international locations was not practically as dear as I believed it could be.
To see extra images and browse extra about my travels in Finland, make sure to see the next 4 articles.
When you’ve got another questions for me about bike touring in Finland, the price of journey on this Scandinavian nation, or the rest, please go away a remark beneath. I’d be particularly from listening to from you you probably have been to Finland for your self and also you stored observe of how a lot cash you spend when you had been there.
Thanks for studying… and keep tuned for future bicycle touring updates from the Bicycle Touring Professional!
Save