By car
What is parking in Finland like? Where to find free or paying parking in the centre of Jyväskylä? Where to charge an electric car in the Jyväskylä Region, or where to rent a car downtown Jyväskylä?
It is easy to reach the Jyväskylä Region by car. The distances from many major cities in Finland are not long. You can easily reach your destination along the main roads or choose slightly slower routes to enjoy the beautiful scenery. Driving a car is very easy in the Jyväskylä region.
Parking in Finland
In many places around Jyväskylä, parking is subject to charges. You can check the specific parking fees in each parking lot. When parking, remember to leave the parking slip on the dashboard inside the car. This way the slip will be easily visible from outside the car. The paid parking time shown on the slip indicates the remaining parking time and the slip can be used anywhere within the same parking zone. You can always check the specific payment policies in the parking lot in question.
Parking signs that show the allowed hours are common in Finland. They indicate a certain time span and the days on which the sign is valid. When the hours are not placed in parenthesis, they apply on weekdays. If the hours appear in parenthesis, they apply on Saturdays, and when they are written in red, they refer to Sundays. Whenever you need any advice on parking in Finland, feel free to ask the locals for help.
On some parking lots, a parking disc should be used. The use of the disc is indicated with traffic signs. When parking, it is important to display the disc on the dashboard inside your car. This way, the whole disc will be easily visible from outside and fills the legal requirements for parking discs. More information on parking and on the use of the parking disc (in Finnish).
Paid parking in the centre of Jyväskylä
In many places downtown Jyväskylä, parking is subject to charge. For detailed information on streetside parking in the centre, see the City of Jyväskylä traffic map. Zones marked in red and yellow are paid parking spaces. The pink zones indicate paid parking spaces at Paviljonki Fair and Event Center. You can pay for on-street parking in Jyväskylä at vending machines and also by mobile phone with the online applications of Easypark, Moovy or Parkman. There are several parking garages in central locations downtown Jyväskylä, and you can already see at the gate how many places are available at any given time. Check also the locations of Jyväs-Parkki parking garages in the best locations in Jyväskylä that you can use 24/7, every day of the year.
Accessible parking spaces in Jyväskylä city centre parking garages and on the streets can be located on the map of the centre’s accessible parking spaces.
Free parking in the centre of Jyväskylä
Free parking spaces are also available in the city centre of Jyväskylä. Disc-parking is used in some parking areas. You can spot the free disc-parking locations in the city centre area on the traffic map of the City of Jyväskylä , marked with a blue letter ‘K’. Most on-street parking spaces in the city centre are free of charge all Sunday. Parking in the centre of Jyväskylä is free of charge in the yard of the City Hall or in the parking area of the city administrative block (at Hannikaisenkatu 17) on weekdays after 16:00 and all weekend.
On weekends, you can also find free parking in the parking garages of the Jyväskeskus and Forum shopping centres. In the parking garage of Jyväskeskus, parking is free of charge on Sundays during the opening hours of the shopping centre. In the Forum parking garage, the first 2 hours are free of charge on Saturdays and Sundays when the shopping centre is open.
Distances by car from the major cities
For example, the distance to Jyväskylä from the Helsinki Metropolitan Area is not long, and it is easy to cover on the E75 via Lahti or the E12 via Tampere and Jämsä. If you want to enjoy spectacular scenery during your drive, it is a good idea to select the somewhat slower route from Lahti via Pulkkilanharju.
(calculated distances to Jyväskylä)
Helsinki, 3 hours
Lahti, 2 hours
Tampere, 2 hours
Hämeenlinna, 2 hours 30 minutes
Lappeenranta, 3 hours
Vaasa, 3 hours 30 minutes
Turku, 3 hours 45 minutes
Oulu, 4 hours
Rovaniemi, 6 hours 45 minutes
Car rentals in the Jyväskylä Region
There are many car rental companies in the Jyväskylä Region. In the centre of Jyväskylä, you can find for example Hertz. The car rental of Avis is located in the centre of Jyväskylä and also at Jyväskylä Airport in Tikkakoski. Europcar is located on National Road 4, at only 2 kilometres from the centre of Jyväskylä. The vehicles of the City of Jyväskylä car-sharing system Omago are available for private rentals in the evenings (after 4.30 p.m.) and on weekends. The electric cars of Omago are also convenient for short-term rentals, for they can be rented on an hourly basis, even for one hour.
When you are on the road with your own car or a rental car, remember to monitor the prevailing weather conditions very closely.
Check the links:
Finland by car website & brochure
Traffic situation in Finland
Refuelling in Finland
What kind of logos and colours should you look for when you need to refuel in Finland? The most common service station chains in Finland can be found easily along the route, as they have their different signature colours and logos. The ABC stations can be easily spotted for their orange and green colouring and a logo with a big thumb and the letters ABC. The signs of St1 service stations are in red letters that have yellow borders. The logo of Neste service stations is coloured blue, green and white. The logo of Shell stations shows a yellow shell with red edges. The Teboil stations logo is red and blue, and the word Teboil is written in white.
Charging points for electric cars
If you are driving an electric car, you will know where to charge your car in the Jyväskylä Region by viewing this map of charging points.
Driving in Finland in winter
Driving in Finland in the winter may seem rather scary, especially if you are not familiar with the weather conditions. Always exercise caution when driving on snowy and slippery roads. The website of the Finnish Road Safety Council has many useful tips for driving in all kinds of winter weather.
When driving in Finland between 1 November and 31 March, it is obligatory to have winter tyres, i.e. either studded tyres or friction tyres. Read more about winter tyres on the website of the Finnish Road Safety Council.
Best destinations to visit by car
Which destinations in the Jyväskylä Region are easiest to reach by car? Many remote-lying natural sites are easy to access by your own car or a rental car. All the four national parks in the Jyväskylä Region are easiest to appreciate if you travel by car. You will also need a car to access many nature and hiking destinations. They include the Himmaan Huippu observation tower in Keuruu, the Häähninmäki observation tower in Hankasalmi, and the Hitonhauta Gorge in Laukaa.
In the Jyväskylä Region, you can visit two of Finland’s seven UNESCO World Heritage sites: the great wood-constructed Petäjävesi Old Church, and the Struve Geodetic Arc at Oravivuori, Korpilahti, that is only accessible by car.
Self-guided tours
Independent tours are an excellent way to get to know the Jyväskylä Region and the various attractions and venues it has to offer. Along many routes, the destinations are easiest to reach by car. These are some examples of self-guided tours that are easiest to make with a car. All self-guided tours in the Jyväskylä Region can be viewed on the self-guided tours web page.
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Get to know the Jyväskylä Region
The Jyväskylä Region consists of several municipalities. Please read more about them here!
What is happening in the Region NOW
You can find a large array of activities and events in the Jyväskylä Region. Just see what’s going on in the Region right now!
Tips from the Tourist Office
If you need tips for traveling or for things to do in this region, just consult the Visit Jyväskylä Region tourist information office.
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