This guide will give you details about how to get from Rovaniemi Airport to the city center.
It will also show you how to get from Rovaniemi Airport to Santa Claus Village if that happens to be your first stop or where your hotel is!
If youʻre booking your trip to Lapland last minute, we have you covered. Below are some of the top tours, hotels, and more!
✈️ Want to get from the airport to Rovaniemi hassle-free? Find the best airport transfer option here!
🇫🇮 Top Activities and Tours in Rovaniemi:
- Northern lights photo tour with lavvu (the BEST aurora tour!)
- Icebreaker ship adventure (goes to Sweden!)
- Snowhotel visit from Rovaniemi (wheelchair accessible)
🛌 Top Hotels and Lodging in Rovaniemi:
- Arctic TreeHouse Hotel (famous place by Santa Claus Village)
- Apukka Resort (glass igloos in a remote location)
- Arctic Light Hotel (top-rated in Rovaniemi)
🚗 Looking to travel around Lapland independently? Click here to check Finland rental car rates!
I am listing multiple options, allowing you to choose the journey that suits your budget and group best!
In this post...
Rovaniemi Airport Transfers: Overview of Options
Here are the airport transfer options I cover in this guide:
• Airport shuttle bus (public transportation)
• Taxi options
• Renting a car
• Booking a private transfer
• Getting from Rovaniemi Airport to Santa Claus Village
If you know of other alternative options for getting to Rovaniemi city from the airport, please leave me a comment. Also, do note that many hotels offer airport shuttles for their guests.
Before considering one of the options I list, you may want to check with your hotel to explore that as an option!
About the Rovaniemi Airport
The airport in Rovaniemi is listed as ‘RVN‘ and it is situated a bit outside of the city of Rovaniemi. It is the country’s third-busiest airport, and it is located 10 kilometers (6 miles) outside of Rovaniemi city.
Interesting fact: the Arctic Circle crosses the northern end of the runway. So, that’s pretty cool!
While Rovaniemi city is located a further distance from the airport, Santa Park and Santa Claus Village are only around 2-3 kilometers (under 2 miles) away, which makes that journey slightly easier.
Rovaniemi Airport is busiest during the Christmas holidays, but expect fuller flights most of the winter.
Rovaniemi Airport to City Options
I will list the four options for getting from Rovaniemi Airport to Rovaniemi city below. The following options exist: public transportation (airport shuttle), taxis, private transfers, and renting a car.
I will discuss how to get from the airport to Santa Claus Village later in this post.
1. Public Transportation from Rovaniemi Airport (Rovaniemi Airport Shuttle)
This option is usually called ‘the airport shuttle’ but it is the public transport option from Rovaniemi Airport to the city.
Taking this shuttle option from the Rovaniemi Airport is far easier than getting it back from the city to the airport (I will detail that process toward the end of this guide).
Once your flight arrives, it will be waiting (pending whether you’re on a Finnair or Norwegian flight). Check with your airline if you’re flying an alternate airline to see if the shuttle will be available for pickup.
You do not need to book reservations in advance. Tickets are 8€ (9 USD) per passenger to the city center hotels and Santa Claus Village area; you can pay the driver by card on the bus. (Ticket prices as of January 2024).
I encourage you to check rates and ensure that all information is still relevant and up-to-date by going to the website of the airport shuttle.
The hotels that this Rovaniemi airport bus drops off at or picks up from are as follows:
- Scandic Rovaniemi City (near bus stop on Poromiehentie)
- Arctic City Hotel (Airport Bus sign)
- Hotel Santa Claus (across the street)
- Hotel Haawe
- Arctic Light (Airport Bus stop on Valtakatu)
- Scandic Polar Hotel (Airport Bus stop on Valtakatu)
- Hostel Cafe Koti (Airport Bus stop on Valtakatu)
- Sokos Hotel Vaakuna (bus stop on Aallonkatu)
- Scandic Pohjanhovi
Please note that these will be the same locations that will be pick-up points for a bus back to the airport if you are flying back out of Rovaniemi.
2. Rovaniemi Airport Taxi Options
If you’re not keen on riding the airport shuttle from Rovaniemi Airport to the city, there are taxi options that are also available. However, you will need to arrange in advance or book upon arrival.
Finns do speak good English, so don’t be scared to give them a call to arrange a pick-up! I use Meneva, and they have an app.
• Taxi Lähitaksi Rovaniemi: +358 0100 7300; email: [email protected]
• Rovaniemi Taxi Service: +358 60 030 030 or +358 29 009 1090; email: [email protected]
• Menevä Taxis: +358 800 02120; email: [email protected]
Currently, taxis from the airport to the city center cost about 25–35 euros (38 USD).
In December 2023, Uber started operating in Rovaniemi. However, the prices are often more expensive than taking a local one.
I suggest downloading the Meneva app and using it instead. Meneva also uses Teslas for most of their taxis (unless you order a van).
3. Private Rovaniemi Airport Transfers
If you’re looking for a private Rovaniemi transfer for your group, there are options available!
I recommend this private transfer which will take you directly from Rovaniemi Airport to your hotel or place of accommodation.
This transfer service has large vehicles available so that you don’t need to stress about numbers or being crammed inside.
>> Click here to see rates for a private Rovaniemi transfer service
4. Renting a Car at Rovaniemi Airport
If you’re completely comfortable driving in snow (if arriving in winter), then a rental car might be a viable option for your journey.
While I wouldn’t dare drive in Lapland in winter, if you’re from Norway, for example, it won’t be any sweat off your back!
If you’re driving around Lapland during autumn, you may not encounter snow if it is early enough in the season! And summer is so great up there, so a rental car is a must then!
At Rovaniemi Airport, there are a few rental car options. You will find Sixt, Hertz, Budget, Avis, Green Motion Car, ScanCar, Europcar, and more.
I always recommend booking cars with Discover Cars as that is who I have used in the past when traveling in Scandinavia and the Nordics. You can read my post about renting a car in Finland here.
>> Click here to compare rental car rates in Rovaniemi
Getting from Rovaniemi City to the Airport
Returning to the airport from Rovaniemi city center is a bit more of a challenge. You will be able to get a pick-up at the same places listed above (under Rovaniemi Airport to the city section).
I would recommend asking your hotel for the exact time the buses will arrive, but you can generally plan on the bus leaving 1 hour and 20 minutes before the departure of the flight.
However, if you take the early Sunday morning Finnair flight, it will not be part of this schedule.
If the departure time between two flights is 20 minutes or less, the bus will run according to the earliest time. As noted above, the bus leaves 1 hour and 20 minutes before flight departure from Rovaniemi city center.
Please book a reservation for these services (not from the airport to Rovaniemi, just the way back).
To book a reservation, you can call +358 16 36 2222 the day before departure during office hours (Mon-Fri 9:00 – 21:00, Sun-Sat 10:00 – 21:00).
Getting from Rovaniemi Airport to Santa Claus Village
Is Santa Claus Village your first stop on your Rovaniemi trip? Fortunately, the airport is not far from Santa Claus Village—less than 2 miles (around 2-3 kilometers)!
Getting from Rovaniemi Airport to Santa Claus Village is fairly easy. But you will almost certainly need to book a taxi.
However, many hotels have shuttles available, so look into that with your respective hotel if you’re staying around Santa Park or Santa Claus Village.
You can book a taxi upon arrival or have one planned ahead of time with the companies listed above. The price should be about €25 (27 USD).
I hope that this guide helps you plan your journey from Rovaniemi Airport to the city (and back). If you have any questions, please let me know!
More Rovaniemi Travel Guides
- Visiting Lapland during autumn
- Spending winter in Rovaniemi
- What to pack for your trip to Lapland
- Day trips from Rovaniemi
- How to stay at the Arctic TreeHouse Hotel
- Where to eat in Rovaniemi
- Best tours in Rovaniemi
- Visiting Ruka-Kuusamo in winter
- Dog sledding in Rovaniemi
- Northern lights in Rovaniemi
Pin this Rovaniemi Airport to City Center Guide
Megan is a travel blogger and writer with a background in digital marketing. Originally from Richmond, VA, she now splits her time between Frankfurt, Germany and Arctic Finland after also living in Norway, Armenia, and Kazakhstan. She has a passion for winter travel, as well as the Nordic countries, but you can also find her eating her way through Italy, perusing perfume stores in Paris, or taking road trips through the USA. Megan has written for or been featured by National Geographic, Forbes, Lonely Planet, the New York Times, and more. She co-authored Fodor’s Travel ‘Essential Norway’ and has visited 45 US states and 100+ countries.