Santa Claus Express - The Lapland Adventures

Santa Claus is real! If you believe it (we still do!), then you must have always dreamt of meeting him. Isn't it? You can make this dream a REALITY! If you head to Finland and then to Rovaniemi (a small town located in the north of Finland) which is considered as the official home of Santa Claus, then you can meet him. Santa's village at Rovaniemi is dreamy and charming! You can meet Santa Claus and his elves here and witness the magical Northern Lights during polar nights.

One can reach Rovaniemi by several means - taking a flight, driving yourself, taking a long-distance bus or a TRAIN!

Santa Claus Express (VR Train)

But why opt for a train to reach Rovaniemi?

The train that runs from Helsinki, the Finnish capital to Rovaniemi is sure to make your trip to Rovaniemi extremely memorable. This double-decker overnight train is called as the 'Santa Claus Express'. One can witness the beauty of Finland from the comfortable compartments of this train and wake up above the Arctic Circle the next morning. During the winters, the snow capped Lapland, looks even more magical! Check out our travel vlog and see for yourself, how beautiful the journey was!

Overnight train from Helsinki to Rovaniemi

Santa Claus Express - Train Routes:

The Santa Claus Express is not just one train, but several trains that operate between different locations in Finland - Helsinki to Rovaniemi, Helsinki-Kemijärvi, Turku to Rovaniemi and Helsinki-Kolari, the last one being the only train that doesn't touch Rovaniemi. We took the one from Helsinki to Rovaniemi (night train). Mind you, there are multiple trains operating in different times, but we would recommend you to opt for the over-night train, which roughly takes around 12 hours.

How comfortable are the trains?

Sant Claus Express is operated by the Finish Railway Company - VR. The train is fully air-conditioned and are kept warm during winters for the comfort of the passengers. Trains are super clean, well-maintained, disability-friendly, special coaches to take your pet along, a restaurant/bistro coach from which you can order directly to your seat or enjoy the scenic views outside from the restaurant itself and if you have a cabin then your own shower and washroom.

We opted for the Sleeper Cabin, which was super impressive and comfortable. After navigating and reaching to our cabin, we found two key cards inside - which has to be used to unlock the cabin door. The cabin had two bunk beds with everything well set. You will also get a packaged bottle of water, and a cute box of candy per passenger. The cabins are well fitted with sockets, lights and a small foldable chair to sit and enjoy the views outside. The most special thing about the cabin was the private shower! Yes, a small space where you can actually have a shower on the train (And yes we did shower!).

How to book the tickets?

1. The most convenient way to book the tickets is the VR train official website. We would recommend NOT to buy it from any other 3rd party websites. The VR website is easy to use, and shows all the options and facilities to chose from. You can also select your seats while booking your tickets.

2. You can also get the tickets from the self-service ticketing kiosks at the stations.

   We recommend you buy your tickets as early as possible, as during winters - it becomes pretty busy.

   You can also chose any additional services (extra charge) if you have your pet travelling along, or, if you want to carry your bike.

Helsinki Central Station

Ticket Price Details (As of May'25):

The ticket prices vary on what time of the day you are travelling, what type of seat you have selected and what time of the year you are travelling.

For night train:

• A single seat costs around 25-35 euros,

• For sleeper cabin (2 people) without the toilet/shower it costs 80-120 euros.

• For sleeper cabin with toilet/shower (2 people), it costs 100-250 euros.

  During peak season, the prices may be very different. So, rely on the VR train website and book well ahead.

  
  
  
  

  

  Our Lapland memories

  
  

Useful Links:

VR Train: https://www.vr.fi/en Santa Claus Express Complete Tour: https://youtu.be/UstRC4n4aS0