Lapland, Finland67°46.8′ N · 025°36.0′ E

Finnish Lapland Planner
Juutuanjoki river in winter at Jäniskoski, Inari, March

Train or plane north

Fall asleep in Helsinki, wake up in Lapland

Photo: Ximonic (Simo Räsänen) / CC BY-SA 4.0

VR calls its Lapland night trains the Santa Claus Express, and they have a restaurant car and wifi. From Helsinki, take one to Rovaniemi or Kolari, or fly to Rovaniemi, Kittilä or Ivalo.

By Finnish Lapland Planner editorial team Updated

Night trains

VR night trains from Helsinki to Lapland, timetable for Tuesday 15 Dec 2026
TrainLeaves HelsinkiToArrivesNote
Night train 265119:29Rovaniemi07:20 next dayEarliest night train
Night train 269220:24Kolari10:55 next dayFor Ylläs and Levi
Night train 273123:04Rovaniemi10:58 next dayLate departure
Times are Finnish local time (UTC+2), converted from the national rail timetable data for a single date. VR markets these trains as the Santa Claus Express. Check vr.fi for your own date.Checked · 1 source, source · 2 source, source

VR sells seats and sleeper cabins, some with their own shower and toilet, and carries cars. Departures also run from Turku and to Kemijärvi.

Day trains and flights

The fastest day train, Pendolino S 35, took 9 h 38 min (05:03 to 14:41 on our sample date). Flights reach Rovaniemi, Kittilä (for Levi and Ylläs) and Ivalo (for Saariselkä and Inari). Kilpisjärvi has neither rail nor airport, so the last leg is by road.

Questions about Finnish Lapland

By the editorial team

How long is the night train from Helsinki to Rovaniemi?

About 11 h 50 min on train 265 (19:29 to 07:20) and about 11 h 55 min on train 273 (23:04 to 10:58), on the 15 December 2026 timetable.

What is the Santa Claus Express?

VR's name for its night trains from Helsinki or Turku to Rovaniemi, Kolari or Kemijärvi. You choose a seat or a sleeper cabin, and there is a restaurant car and wifi.

Which airport is closest to Levi?

Kittilä Airport, 15 km from Levi (Finavia). Ylläs is about 35 km from the same airport.

Can you take your car on the night train to Lapland?

Yes. VR's night trains carry cars as well as passengers.

Is there a train to Levi?

Not into Levi itself. Night train 269 runs from Helsinki to Kolari, the railhead for Ylläs and Levi. On the 15 December 2026 timetable it leaves at 20:24 and arrives at 10:55 next day.