Mäntyharju is a perfect place for foreigners because it’s a small, idyllic village that gives an authentic experience of local life, wilderness, and freedom, but it’s still easily accessible and within reach from Helsinki. You don’t even need a car to get here!
Mäntyharju is located in the Southern Savonia region in Eastern Finland. Our small municipality is located along Highways 5 and 15, and stopping by, for example, when passing by, is also possible and highly recommended.
Driving from Helsinki takes about 2 hours, and within that time you’ll find yourself in the middle of Finland’s paradise.
Usually, the common navigation services (e.g. Google Maps and Apple Maps) work well here, but you’ll receive information about any possible issues from your accommodation provider.
There are many gas stations and a few charging stations (for electric cars) in the center and along the highways. You’ll find them easily just by searching online maps. The nearest car rental services are located in nearby cities.
Mäntyharju has its own train station, and all passenger trains passing by stop there. The station is located in the center, and all the services and nearest accommodations are nearby.
The station (and some of the trains) is accessible by wheelchair.
Please note that there are no services, such as an indoor waiting area or toilets, at the station. We recommend checking your train timetable (and possible delays) in advance and arriving at the station approximately 15 minutes before the train arrives. During cold weather, waiting a long time outdoors may be an uncomfortable experience.
In Mäntyharju, there are 12 long-haul trains stopping per day (6 from each direction). All of the trains are modern InterCity or Pendolino trains with a restaurant car (at least in most of them).
Travel times by train:
All of the passenger trains in Finland are operated by a single company (VR). You can find more information about the trains and buy tickets from their website.
There are long-haul express buses stopping daily in Mäntyharju. The nearest bus stops are along Highway 5 (Vihantasalmi). From there, it’s about 15 kilometers to the center, and you’ll need a taxi or your own transportation to get there.
OnniBus is the most popular operator that provides bus services from Vihantasalmi to Helsinki and Kuopio, for instance.
There are also daily buses going to Mikkeli from the center of Mäntyharju. The bus station is located next to Tavaratalo Mainio in the center.
Long-distance buses are operated by a Finnish company called OnniBus. You can visit their website here. Bus services between Mäntyharju and Mikkeli are provided by Ihastjärven Linja Oy. Visit their website here (in Finnish only).
Next to the Mäntyharju market square, there is a taxi stand where taxis are on call. You can order a taxi to any location by calling 060110036 (call cost 1€).