Toll roads in Finland? How to buy a vignette in Finland? Where to buy a vignette in Finland? Fines in Finland? Parking in Finland? Autostradas in Finland? Toll tunnels in Finland? Toll bridges in Finland? Ferries in Finland? We have collected answers to all these questions for you in this article.

Toll Motorways in Finland

The length of Finland’s public highway network is 78,162 km, of which 51,016 km are paved roads. The length of highways is 863 km.

Toll roads in Finland

There are no toll roads in Finland. All roads in Finland are free.

Parking in Finland

Most small towns in Finland have free parking for cars. Most often, it is located near the main attractions and large supermarkets (Anttila, Citymarket, Prisma).

The exception here is the capital of Finland – Helsinki. Parking in the central areas of Helsinki can cost up to €3 per hour.

Parking without a parking meter is not allowed in some areas. The need for such a watch is always reflected on separate signs. The maximum time allotted for parking is also indicated there. The parking clock, with the specified time of arrival, is placed in a prominent place on the inside of the windshield of the car so that it can be read from the outside.

From June 1, 2020, you can specify the start time of parking in any “understandable way”. That is, parking clocks are optional.

You do not need to use a parking meter at paid parking lots. Paid parking lots are marked with a separate sign.

The fine for wrong parking is from €10 to €40.

Map of highways in Finland

Map of highways in Finland

Basic traffic rules of Finland

Speed ​​limits in Finland

Standard speed limits in Finland (unless otherwise indicated on signs).

Cars and motorcycles:

  • in the settlement – 50 km/h
  • outside the settlement – 80 km/h
  • on the highway – 120 km/h

Cars with a trailer:

  • in the settlement – 50 km/h
  • outside the settlement – 80 km/h
  • on the highway – 100 km/h

During the winter months, from October to March, speed limits can be reduced by 20 km/h compared to standard values.

There are many speed cameras in Finland. There is always a warning sign in front of each camera. Moreover, behind the first camera, at a distance of several kilometers, there may be several more cameras.

Alcohol

Maximum permissible blood alcohol level in Finland 0.5‰.

If the level of alcohol in the blood is from 0.5‰ to 1.2‰, then the fine will be from 15 days’ tariffs and revocation of the driver’s license. a>

Exceeding the blood alcohol level of 1.2 ‰ is considered a violation with aggravating circumstances. The penalty, in addition to a large fine (at least 60 daily rates), includes imprisonment.

RukhTS, the driver of which was found to be drinking alcohol, is prohibited. Breathalyzer data is the basis for delivering the driver to the police station for a more detailed analysis. The driver has no right to refuse a detailed blood test.

A driver who lives outside of Finland may be detained and placed in a police facility pending trial.

Low light

Low beam in Finland is mandatory 24 hours a day all year round. The fine for driving without dipped headlights during daylight hours is €100.

Ignoring this requirement in the dark hours of the day will result in a fine of 8 daily rates.

Transportation of children in Finland

Children under 135 cm tall are not allowed to ride in the front seats. They can only travel in the back seats of the car.

Children under the age of three can be transported in a vehicle only in a special child restraint that corresponds to their weight.

It is the responsibility of the driver of the vehicle to ensure that all children under the age of 15 are properly restrained.

A fine of 6 to 10 daily rates.

Safety belts

Use of seat belts in Finland is mandatory for front and rear passengers.

Fine – €70.

Phoning

It is prohibited to use a telephone device in Finland that is not equipped with a technical device that allows for hands-free conversations while driving.

Fine – €100.

Fines in Finland

A police officer cannot collect fines on the spot. He must issue a receipt, and the fine must be paid at any bank (ATM, payment terminal or via the Internet) within 30 days.

For minor violations of traffic rules in Finland, the police issue a fixed fine. For more serious violations, a system of daily rates is applied, in which the amount of the fine depends not only on the seriousness of the violation, but also on the income of the violator, as well as the availability of taxable property and the number of dependents.

If the fine is not paid voluntarily, the district court can convert the fine to imprisonment in such a way that one day of imprisonment corresponds to three days’ rates.

Fixed fine in Finland

A fixed fine is imposed for minor violations. From September 1, 2015, the amount of the fixed fine can be 20, 40, 70, 100, 120, 140, 170, or 200 euros.

If a fixed penalty is imposed simultaneously for two or more violations, then the amount of the penalty is increased by 40 euros for the violation for which the most severe penalty is imposed.

Fine based on daily rate in Finland

For serious violations, the fine is calculated taking into account the daily rate. The maximum fine for a violation can be 120 daily tariffs.

The daily rate is calculated as follows: € 255 is subtracted from the net profit, which is the amount of monthly income remaining after deduction of taxes. The resulting result is divided by 60. In addition, the presence of each minor child in the care reduces the amount of the daily rate by € 3.

The minimum daily rate is €6. For example, the amount of the fine is 8 daily rates. The daily rate is €21 (with an income of €1,500). If there are no minor children under the care of the driver, the amount of the fine will be: 8 x €21 = €168; if there is 1 child under care, the amount of the fine will be: 8 x € (21 – 3) = € 144, if there are two children, the amount of the fine will be: 8 x € (21 – 6) = € 120

Table of fines for traffic violations in Finland:

Violations in FinlandFines (EUR)
Violations related to vehicle documents€40
Dangerous driving€70
Failure to comply with the request for a stop€70
Failure to comply with the requirements of road signs€100
Throwing garbage on the road€100
Driving through a red light€100
Violation of overtaking rules€100

A fixed fine is imposed for speeding up to 20 km/h. The fine for exceeding 20 km/h is calculated based on the amount of the daily rate.

Table of fines for speeding in Finland:

Speeding
up to 10 km/year€100€70
from 11 to 15 km/h€170€ 140
from 16 to 20 km/h€ 200€170
from 21 to 50 km/hdepending on the driver’s income
from 51 km/h and morecourt

In case of exceeding the speed of more than 33 km/h in the settlement and more than 36 km/h outside the settlement, in addition to the fine, the driver’s license will be revoked for a period of 1 to 6 months.

Useful Information

Fuel prices in Finland

Unleaded petrol (95 and 98) and diesel are available in Finland.

Gas stations (CNG) are located mainly in the southern part of Finland. Methane, not propane-butane, is used as fuel for gas equipment in Finland.

Average prices for all types of fuel as of 17.12.2023:

  • Unleaded petrol 95 — €1,892
  • Unleaded petrol 98 — €1,990
  • Diesel — € 1.988
  • Natural gas — €0.899

On the territory of the country, it is allowed to carry 10 liters of gasoline in canisters in a car.

Emergency numbers in Finland

  • The European emergency number is 112

Mandatory equipment

Equipment that necessary to have in a car in Finland:

  • Emergency stop sign
  • Reflective Vest – Pedestrians must use a reflective vest during dark hours. A driver or passenger who gets out of the car becomes a pedestrian and, therefore, must wear a reflective vest.

Winter equipment

Winter tires

The use of winter tires is mandatory in Finland from December 1st to March 1st. Recommended from November 1 to March 31, or other times if weather or road conditions require. The tread depth is not less than 3 mm.

Studded tires

The use of studded tires in Finland is allowed from November 1 to March 31, or at other times if the weather or road conditions require it. Studded tires must be installed on all wheels.

A fine of 100 euros is imposed for the use of tires that are worn or not suitable for the season, followed by a ban on the use of the car.

Anti-slip chains

Anti-skid chains are allowed in Finland on all vehicles if road and weather conditions require it. Drivers must be careful not to damage the road surface.

Recommended equipment and other rules

The use and storage of radar detectors in Finland is prohibited. Storage means even having the device in the car in a switched off state. Violation of this rule is punishable by a fine of €120 (20 daily rates) and confiscation of the device.

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