Before my trip, I was unsure whether or not I needed to rent a car in Finnish Lapland to make the most of my trip. But I’m so glad I did! Here’s everything you must consider in your decision to rent a car in Finnish Lapland.
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If you don’t already have your trip booked, I’m sure I’m convincing you to visit. Check out these resources and tools to help book and plan your trip!
🏨Booking.com – offers accommodation and unique places
🛌🏻Vrbo – world’s leading marketplace for vacation rentals
🛌🏻Hostelworld – global hostel-focused online booking platform
🚗DiscoverCars – international car rental site that compares companies
✈️Wayaway – flight aggregator to find the best rates on airline tickets
🌎GetYourGuide – find top-rated tours and activities in your destination
BACKGROUND ON FINNISH LAPLAND
Finnish Lapland, or just Lapland, is the sparsely-populated, northernmost region in Finland. It is best known for its subarctic conditions and being the homeland of the indigenous Sami people. It’s popular among tourists for a multitude of reasons, including being the only place in the world where you can experience true Midnight Sun (24 hours of daylight) and Polar Night (24 hours of night). And of course the Northern Lights!
It’s an incredible place to visit year round (yes, even in the winter), especially if you love outdoor activities such as cross country skiing, snowshoeing, white water rafting, and more. Personally, I opted to visit in February and stay in a traditional cabin near Ranua, a small town about an hour away from Rovaniemi, Finnish Lapland’s main city. The cabin had no running water or plumbing! But that’s a story for another day.
DO I NEED TO RENT A CAR IN FINNISH LAPLAND?
The answer is, it really depends. If you’re planning to mostly stay in Rovaniemi and maybe do a few guided day trips, you probably don’t need a car. However, if you want to explore other places in Lapland such as Ranua, Inari, and Oulu, with flexibility and for a lot less money than a guided tour, you should definitely rent a car. It’s also really beautiful to drive around Finnish Lapland and admire the remote nature. Personally, I highly recommend renting a car in Finnish Lapland especially if you’re the adventurous type!
IS A CAR NECESSARY IN FINNISH LAPLAND?
I wouldn’t say a car is completely necessary in Finnish Lapland, but it will definitely give you much more flexibility to explore the area at your own pace. If you are, however, staying in a remote part of the country, a car is necessary because you will not have the option of public transport to help you get around, even to the closest grocery store. As I mentioned, guided tours in Finland are quite expensive, so renting a car in Finnish Lapland will definitely end up saving you money. It also helps to have a car to do your own Northern Lights chasing!
🚗I rented a car through DiscoverCars, specifically with the company GreenMotion, which I can’t recommend enough! DiscoverCars is an international car rental website that compares multiple rental companies so you can get the very best deal! Their rental car experience makes booking your perfect car seamless and affordable.
IS IT DIFFICULT TO DRIVE IN FINNISH LAPLAND?
In my opinion, it’s not difficult to drive in Finnish Lapland. Unless you venture somewhere incredibly remote, the roads are usually frequently plowed and well maintained. Snow usually covers the ground in Finnish Lapland between the months of November and May, so even though the roads are well maintained you will still have to exercise caution when driving, especially at night. Just in case: the emergency number in Finland is 112.
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If you rent a car in Finnish Lapland in wintertime, it will have winter tires (with spikes) and also a snow and ice scraper. My boyfriend and I felt very comfortable driving in Finnish Lapland in February, especially since we had a high quality and trustworthy car that we booked through DiscoverCars! If you’re ready to rent a car in Finnish Lapland for your upcoming trip, I highly recommend you book through DiscoverCars to find your perfect ride.
DO I NEED A CREDIT CARD TO RENT A CAR IN FINNISH LAPLAND?
You may be able to rent a car in Finnish Lapland even if you don’t have a credit card. According to DiscoverCar’s website:
Depending on where you want to rent a car, it may be possible to find some suppliers that accept debit cards. Make sure you check the Security Deposit section of the Rental Conditions and not just the Payment Methods, as some suppliers accept debit cards for payment but still require a credit card for the security deposit. Our website has a specific filter you can use to only show those suppliers that accept debit cards. You can find it on the left-hand side of the desktop version and at the top of the mobile version.
Since we’re talking about credit cards, I thought it would be a good time to plug my favorite travel credit card: Chase Sapphire Preferred. I’m actually obsessed with this credit card as I’ve been able to book so many hotels and flights just by using my points. Another benefit is the auto rental collision damage waiver. With this, you don’t have to purchase the additional insurance from the car rental company. You can learn more about the Chase Sapphire Preferred benefits here.
WHAT IS THE BEST RENTAL CAR COMPANY IN FINNISH LAPLAND?
I 100% recommend the rental car company GreenMotion which I booked through DiscoverCars. They have a booth in the Rovaniemi Airport and the check in process was easy and simple! I drove away in less than 15 minutes. The car was in excellent condition and I faced no problems throughout my rental.
All in all, I paid about $730 USD to rent the car for 12 days (plus an additional driver). It would have been cheaper than this if I hadn’t waited until the last minute… but it was still well worth it! To find the perfect rental car for you, search below on DiscoverCars (you will likely see GreenMotion as an option)!
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE I NEED TO CONSIDER TO BEFORE RENTING A CAR IN FINNISH LAPLAND?
The only other thing you need to consider before renting a car in Finnish Lapland is the remoteness of the area. Especially if you are visiting in the winter, there will be long stretches of time where you do not see any other cars. You are also likely to see logging trucks transporting timber and other materials.
The one thing I was worried about when renting a car in Finnish Lapland was the possibility of breaking down and not having cell phone service to call for help (Finnish Lapland generally has good service coverage). Thankfully this didn’t happen, but I want to share some of the tips I compiled to help ease your anxieties if you’re anything like me.
- Stay calm!
- Always pack warm clothing, water, snacks, and a head lamp
- Call the emergency number for the rental service, or in a true emergency, 112
We also learned from our Airbnb host that drivers in Finnish Lapland are supposed to stop if they see a car pulled over on the side of the road, in case they need assistance. So, if this does happen to you, hopefully you won’t have to wait too long for someone to come to your aid! Lastly, I just want to reiterate that the rental cars in Finnish Lapland are good quality, so you likely won’t need to worry about any of this.
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To sum things up: yes, you should rent a car in Finnish Lapland! Have a great time and don’t forget to check out DiscoverCars for all your car rental needs!
