How to get to Hetta, Enontekiö...

The schematic map shows how Hetta is positioned relative to nearby airports, train and bus terminals in Northern Scandinavia. As you can see, it is relatively easy to get to us, despite the fact that we are fully within the arctic circle. In fact, the main complication for those trying to save money in the travel costs is that there are too many options!

If money is not so much of an issue, or you are booking well in advance, flying into Kittila or Rovaniemi in Finland, and transfering by bus is the best option. However, you can sometimes save money by comparing different entry routes (Alta, Tromso, Kiruna etc). Please note, however, that some of the overland bus and train connections are seasonal.

If you are booking your slot very last minute, then charter flights might also be an option since they sometimes release seats to individual travellers once they think that they will not sell their week packages to full capacity.

Please refer to the detailed page on travel options from within Finland if connecting through Helsinki or flying directly into a Lappish airport.

Finally, a new arctic bus route for 2020 connecting the main cities of northern Scandinavia makes trans-border journeys logistically much simpler to contemplate.

TRANSFER TIMES FROM NORTHERN AIRPORTS & TRAIN TERMINALS

Finnish Airports

ENONTEKIÖ (ENF): 10 mins (airport shuttles available).

This airline is primarily open to charter flights. It might be possible to get seat-only deals last minute with Canterbury or Transun in December and Transun in Spring. However, the standard commercial flights haven't been offered in 2019-2020. We are happy to pick clients up from here, with advance notice.

KITTILÄ (KTT): 2+ hours (buses available twice per day)

If you are booking well in advance, flying into Kittilä airport - the closest commercial airport in Finland - and taking an easy connection to us by bus, is definitely the most hassle-free way of reaching us.

ROVANIEMI (ROV): 4+ hours (buses available twice per day)

Flying through Rovaniemi is also really easy - the bus which goes past the Kittilä airport is the same one that starts from Rovaniemi. And, since Rovaniemi is a larger hub than Kittilä, there are more flight options from the cheaper airlines.

ROVANIEMI is the main train terminal in northern Finland. Standard bus connections from Rovaniemi to Enontekiö happen twice per day, and take 5 hours, door to door (by hire car, the journey takes c.3.5 hours). In 2020, you can also use the connections of the Arctic Bus Route.

Kolari is a slightly closer train terminal than Rovaniemi. It is only a 2 hour journey overland by car. However, bus connections from Kolari to Enontekiö are more challenging than from Rovaniemi and some route through Levi and become as long as the transfer from Rovaniemi. At certain times of year they go every day, at others, only on certain days of the week.

Norwegian Airports

ALTA is c. 2+ hours from us and TROMSO, 4+ hours. In addition to the arctic bus route, another bus service runs daily from Alta to Kautokeino, (our closest Norwegian village, 1 hour from Hetta), in winter and directly to Hetta in summer months).

TROMSO is 4 hours overland from Hetta. Aside from for the arctic bus route, there are only early morning buses scheduled between there and here in the summer months.

Swedish Airport / Train Terminals

KIRUNA is 3 hours journey overland from Hetta.
Buses other than the arctic network route available once a day to Karasuando, 1 hour from Hetta. KIRUNA, in Sweden, is the final train terminal option for those who would like to travel north on sleeper trains. Good student rates apply when booked ahead of time. From Kiruna, bus connections to Enontekiö other than those through the Arctic Bus Route are a little challenging. There are decent connections to the border towns of Karasuando and Muodaslompolo, both of which are c. 1 hours drive from Hetta. However, forward travel from there would require connecting to an arctic bus route bus or arranging a pick-up.


TOP TIPS
When searching for buses, planes etc, to Hetta, you need to write Enontekiö (vs 'Enontekio') in the search engine!

Enontekiö is the name of the municipality / region of Finland. Hetta is the name of the municipality's 'county town'. Whilst that might seem fairly straightforward, it can be a little confusing when you are 'en route' to us, since, once you are travelling through Enontekiö itself, all signposts which are intended to direct you towards Hetta actually have the word 'Enontekiö' on them, instead!

Similarly, if you are trying to find 'Hetta' on coach or plane timetables on line, you won't. Instead, you need to write 'Enontekiö' (and, in many cases, it will only show up if you use the Scandinavian 'ö' for the last letter!).

Whilst this is a standard system for all municipalities and county towns throughout Finland, in sparsely populated regions and for tourists unused to the system, it can cause some confusion!

Still confused?

Don't be - it is actually pretty simple! Just imagine that Hetta is the starting and ending point of all journeys in Enontekiö / the far north, so simply search for / follow signs for 'Enontekiö' - also by car - and you will end up with us in the small village of Hetta!