Kemijärvi - Kemijärvi

Kemijärvi is in Finnish Lapland. It is the north-eastern railhead for passenger traffic.

Understand

Kemijärvi can pride itself on being the northernmost city in Finland, and the only one with the city centre north of the Arctic Circle. Formerly quite off the beaten path, opening of a new border crossing to Russia in nearby Salla has brought more international visitors to the city.

Get in

Lake Kemijärvi

By plane

The closest passenger airport is in Rovaniemi, some 80 km away.

By train

The daily overnight train from Helsinki to Lapland goes all the way to Kemijärvi. The car train station has been decommissioned, so if you are taking your car with you, you will only get as far as Rovaniemi.

By bus

There are buses from Rovaniemi, Kuusamo and Sodankylä as well as Kandalaksha in Russia.

By car

As is the case elsewhere in rural Finland, driving is probably the most practical way of getting in if you are in a hurry. The distance from Helsinki and elsewhere in southern Finland is about 1000 km, so prepare for a whole day of driving – or get to Rovaniemi with your car by an overnight train and continue from there. From elsewhere in Lapland you can usually drive to Kemijärvi in 4–5 hours. Remember to watch out for reindeer on the road in the reindeer husbandry area regardless of the time of the year! From the Russian border at Salla you can drive to Kemijärvi in less than one hour.

Get around

The town isn't larger than that you can get from any place to another in less than 10 minutes by foot. You can get further out by intercity bus, and if your destination isn't next to a highway you will need to drive or take a taxi.

By taxi

  • Menevä Kemijärvi, ☏ 358 50-471-0470 (head of office), toll-free: 0800-02120 (booking). Also bookable by app or web. Fixed price based on calculated route and time if destination address given when booking by app or web. Flag fall M–Sa 06:00–18:00: €7, other times and holidays: €7; 1–4 persons €1.00/km €0.90/min, 5–8 persons minimum €20, €1.60/km €0.90/min (March 2021). (updated Mar 2021)

See

Kemijärvi church
  • Lake Kemijärvi. Kemijärvi translates to "Kemi Lake", and the city shares the name with the lake just east of it. The lake and the landscapes with fells (hills) around it is beautiful around the year. 
  • Kemijärvi church. Built in 1949, this is the most prominent landmark of the city. 
  • The snowmobile and sawmill museum, Varastotie 11. 
  • Kemijärvi local history museum, Sepänkatu 4, ☏ 358 40-503-9591, ✉. 13 Jun–31 Aug: M–Sa 10:00–16:00 or by request. The regional museum shows how people used to live in the old days. €3/1. 

There are also a couple of galleries and workshops by local artists.

Do

  • Kemijärvi is more or less a town in the middle of the outback, so if you want to "take a hike" Kemijärvi is a good starting point.
  • Suomu ski resort is administratively in Kemijärvi, about 40 km southeast along highway 5 (E63).

Festivals

Buy

Kemijärvi isn't really a shopping destination. Most shops are located along Vapaudenkatu street, and there you can find basic stuff that you might need on your trip. There are grocery stores near the railway station, which may be convenient if continuing from there.

Eat

The hotels in the town also serve as restaurants and pubs. In the budget segment, the service stations' cafés offer meals from hotdogs and pizzas to schnitzel and fries.

Drink

Sleep

Budget

The "everyman's rights" and the fact that it easy to get out in the nature here make wild camping a viable option in the summer months. It is free, if not always comfortable accommodation.

Mid-range

Splurge

  • Mestarin Kievari, Kirkkokatu 9, ☏ 358 16 320-7700, ✉. A basic hotel in the city centre. TV and private bathroom in each room as well as unreliable Wi-Fi. The hotel restaurant is a good place to eat even if you don't stay there, they serve an extensive buffet for €11.50. Double €99. 

Connect

Postal code: 98100 Kemijärvi.

Go next

  • The Pyhä resort and the adjacent Pyhä-Luosto National Park, 50 km to the north
  • Rovaniemi – the largest city in Lapland and probably the most popular destination after Helsinki
  • Sodankylä – ... and the rest of northern Lapland
  • Kandalaksha (Finnish: Kantalahti) – if you have a valid Russian visa or don't need one
Routes through Kemijärvi
END ← Sodankylä ← N Tabliczka E63.svg S → Kuusamo → Turku
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