How to get here

How to get here

Connections, schedules and maps.

Kuopio-Tahko > Info > How to get here

Connections

Kuopio city, situated in the middle of Finland, is easy to reach by plane, train, or car, and even by water from the Gulf of Finland. Picturesque Kuopio is also called the Capital of Lakeland and for very good reason. Kuopio and its area is covered with more water than land and Kuopio is the biggest city in Lakeland.

Fly to Kuopio

Kuopio Airport, located 14 kilometers away from Kuopio city center, is only 40 minutes flight from Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, and there are seven daily Finnair flights operating to Kuopio. From the airport, you can reach the center of Kuopio with a local bus service or via taxi. For bigger groups it’s advisable to book a taxi or minibus in advance. Tahko, one of Finland’s best-known and most popular tourist centres, is less than one hour’s drive from the airport and is easily accessed with taxi or pre-ordered flat-rate airport transfers.

By train

Kuopio railway station is located right in the city center and trains run regularly from both the south and the north of Finland. From Helsinki to Kuopio, 10 trains run daily and the journey takes four hours. Kuopio is also easily accessible by train from Turku, Tampere and Jyväskylä, and from north Iisalmi, Oulu, Rovaniemi and many other cities. Kuopio city center and the market square is only half a kilometre from the station.

If you are heading to Tahko by train, you can jump off the train in Siilinjärvi, which is located to the north of Kuopio and about 20 kilometers closer to Tahko. From here, you can travel by taxi. Most of the trains coming from the south to Kuopio continue their journey to Siilinjärvi and the connection from Siilinjärvi to Tahko by taxi takes about half an hour. Public transport buses from Kuopio through Siilinjärvi to Nilsiä are another option and all go to the heart of the tourist area. From Nilsiä center to Tahko it is about 5 minutes drive by taxi or car. In the winter season, the buses arrive straight to Tahko center.

By bus or a car?

Bus connections to the Kuopio area come both from the south and from the north, and Kuopio local buses and summer city trains are a reliable and easy option. Tahko’s free ski bus runs in the winter season, creating even more connections between Kuopio and Tahko.

By car, the journey from Helsinki to Kuopio takes about five hours and the journey follows highway five. On the way you can admire other sights and scenery of Finland, as the highway passes through half of the country.  Roads between Kuopio and Helsinki are in good condition, making the drive enjoyable. The ​​Kuopio area is also popular with motorcyclists who come from near and far to enjoy the scenic countryside drives. 

Kuopio region public transport

Kuopio’s local transport buses, electric Vilkku city bikes, summer city trains and Hop-On Hop-Off city bus and boat to ensure smooth and easy travel across the region. Whether you’re going from the market square to Puijo or to one of the natural attractions in the area, the bus always delivers you close by. During the summer, Kuopio can also be navigated by water, with scenic boat options moving from the port to Saana, among other places.