Getting here

Getting here and local transport

The event centre and the finish for every distance are in Ruka pedestrian village, Rukankyläntie 6. Collect your bib there before travelling to your start. See the Event Guide timetable for bib pickup and starts. Check the start location for your distance too: not every distance starts in Ruka.

Event bus to Ruka — Pohjolan Matka

Pohjolan Matka’s bus transfers to NUTS Karhunkierros 2027 are now on sale. Travel to Ruka on Thursday 27 May via Helsinki–Tampere–Jyväskylä–Oulu–Pudasjärvi–Ruka, or on Friday 28 May via Oulu–Kiiminki–Pudasjärvi–Taivalkoski–Ruka.

Return buses leave Ruka on Sunday 30 May at 10:00 towards Helsinki and at 12:00 for Oulu.

You can book an outbound journey, a return journey or a Thursday–Sunday return ticket. Check all stops, exact timetables, prices and availability in Pohjolan Matka’s booking service. Services are subject to the booking terms, including minimum passenger numbers and possible changes.

This bus brings you to Ruka. It is separate from the start bus, which takes 34, 55 and 83 km participants from Ruka to their start areas.

By train with an onward connection

A train followed by a bus or another transfer arranged in advance is a good option. Check the train and onward connection for your travel date, including any booking requirements, before buying tickets. Ruka-Kuusamo travel information brings together the regional connections.

By air

You can also fly to Kuusamo and continue to Ruka with a separately booked or scheduled connection. Check flights and onward transport for your travel date in the Ruka-Kuusamo travel information.

Sharing a lift or travelling by car

If the event bus or train does not fit your travel plans, sharing a lift is a good next option. If you need your own car, be prepared for limited parking in Ruka pedestrian village. Read Parking in Ruka before travelling, and keep emergency access routes and other traffic clear.

Getting to your start

The 166 and 13 km distances start in Ruka. The 83 km starts at Napapiiri (the Arctic Circle) in Hautajärvi, the 55 km at Oulanka Visitor Centre and the 34 km in Juuma. For these three distances, the first choice is the start bus from Ruka, which has a separate fee. You choose your bus departure in spring; that time is the bus departure time, not your own trail start time. Read Registration information for the choice and fee, and the Event Guide for practical instructions.

If the start bus does not suit you, share a lift where possible. If you travel to the 34, 55 or 83 km start by car, arrive at the time given to you and follow the traffic instructions for that start area. For Oulanka, do not drive directly to the Visitor Centre to park: at the previous event, cars were left in the grounds of Korpihovi in Käylä, with onward transport to the Oulanka start area. This is the working guidance and will be updated if the 2027 arrangements change. Parking at Napapiiri is limited, and access towards Basecamp in Juuma may be restricted. Do not block the road with your car.

Getting around Ruka-Kuusamo

Find regional connections in the Ruka-Kuusamo bus information and taxi information. Check timetables and availability for your travel date. A local bus is a different service from the event’s start bus.

Accommodation

Staying in Ruka village puts you close to bib pickup and the finish. There are also accommodation options in Kuusamo town centre and elsewhere in the Ruka-Kuusamo area. Book your accommodation and plan your transfers in good time. Ruka-Kuusamo accommodation information can help you compare the options.