Haparanda

Haparanda (Finnish:Haaparanta) is a city in Norrbotten, at Sweden's easternmost point. The Finnish town of Tornio is just across (part of) the Torne River. It is a great gateway to the wild north of Scandinavia.

Understand

Haparanda has been the easternmost outpost of Sweden since 1809 when Finland was lost to Russia. Haparanda has always been an important trading post; this continues with the world's northernmost IKEA store, bringing customers from all across the Barents region. Most people here speak Swedish, Finnish and English.

The two towns of Haparanda and Tornio are a showcase of cooperation across the border. Not only is the border more or less invisible, with people living, shopping and working on either side, regardless of their nationality, but there are also shared police patrols, with one in a pair taking command and responsibility depending on what side of the border they happen to be.

Get in

If arriving from Finland, check Tornio#Get in and notice the time zone change.

By plane

Haparanda has no airport of its own, the nearest one being Kemi-Tornio airport on the Finnish side (24 km from Haparanda), where Finnair runs scheduled flights from Helsinki. From there you'll have to continue with the bus service (see Matkahuolto), the nearest bus stop of Kemi airport is named Kemi lentoasema th. Oulu airport is farther away, but the fares are usually cheaper and flights more frequent. From elsewhere in Sweden, fly to Luleå and take the bus or train to Haparanda.

By train

Haparanda has a train station, which has three return connections per day of Norrtåg from Luleå and Boden. Two daily night trains operated by SJ, one from Stockholm and one from Gothenburg, terminate in Luleå with a connecting express bus to Haparanda waiting. For arriving from Finland, there are seasonal overnight trains by VR from Helsinki that call in Tornio, just across the river. Otherwise your best bet is Kemi, with quite frequent connections from all parts of Finland – from there you can take the bus to Tornio and walk across to Haparanda; some of these buses also go further to Haparanda travel centre.

By car

Arriving by car is easy since Haparanda is on the E4 with roads in good shape (and close to the E8). It is a border town so there is a fair share of heavy duty traffic coming through.

By bus

Express coaches from Sweden are handled by Länstrafiken Norrbotten. There are daily connections from cities like Kiruna, Luleå and Umeå, while some buses come all the way from Stockholm. Resrobot finds the best public transport routes.

From Finland there are frequent bus connections to Haparanda from Tornio and Kemi, but some lines extend even to the bus stations in Oulu and Rovaniemi. Beware that all buses going to Finland depart according to Finnish time, which is one hour ahead of the time in Haparanda. The central organisation for intercity bus traffic in Finland, Matkahuolto, provides schedules and ticket information on their website.

Linje 100 has 6 buses a day on the Sundsvall - Örnsköldsvik - Umeå - Skellefteå - Luleå - Haparanda route departing Sundsvall at 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, 16:00, 18:00 and 20:00.

Tapanis Buss has a route going from Stockholm to Tornio, Finland stopping at Haparanda. Ticket from Stockholm 870 kr.

Orajärven Bussit seems to be the only operator which serves the Tornio - Kemi - Oulu route, as of July 2023. Departure times: Tornio - Kemi - Oulu: M-Th 15:00, F 16:00, Sa 15:00, Su 15:30; Tornio - Kemi M-Th Sa 12:45 and M-F 16:45.

Get around

Ringlinjen connects most parts of Haparanda and Tornio. Fares are 12 kr for a single trip.

By taxi

Finnish taxis:

  • Meri-Lapin taksit. Taxis ordered by smart phone app. Pricing not told on the web. (updated Jun 2021)
  • Valopilkku (Taksi Helsinki). Taxis ordered by smart phone app. Pricing not told on the web. (updated Jul 2020)

See
  • 🌍 Haparanda Archipelago National Park, ☏ +46 70 552 7636. The beautiful park includes two large islands, Seskarö and Seskar Furö, and a number of smaller islands and skerries. There is a boat going to Sandskär Island in June . Ringed seals and grey seals can be seen in the waters of the national park. 
  • 🌍 Church of Haparanda. Church constructed in 1963 to replace the old church of Haparanda that was burned down. Sometimes called the ugliest church in Sweden due to the copper sheet that has darkened over the years. 
  • 🌍 Stone Age settlements. On the northern outskirts of Haparanda. 
  • 🌍 Hermansons Handelsgård, Storgatan 74. Hermansons trading house was built in 1832 and it is one of the best preserved buildings in Northern Sweden. 
  • 🌍 Haparanda Railway Station. The station building was constructed in 1918. 
  • 🌍 The old water tower (Gamla vattentornet). Like Paris and Pisa, Haparanda also has a tower overlooking the city! 
  • 🌍 "Perra-vaara"/Perävaara - One of the points on the world heritage listed Struve Geodetic Arc. It's in the middle of the woods, near the village of Karunki and the only point in Sweden with the original markings preserved. There are many paths in the forest, but the regional administration of Norrbotten suggests to drive along Highway 99 about 10 km south from Karunki, then along local road 730 (such roads are all too often not numbered in Sweden) towards Björkfors for 1 km, then head north along a forest road for 1 km to a designated parking lot and walk along a forest road from there for 5 km to a path leading up to the summit.

Do
  • 🌍 Kukkolaforsen Turist & Konferens, Kukkolaforsen 184, ☏ +46 922 310 00. Different types of saunas and a fantastic view of the rapids. Local products from Meän Baakeri-bakery. A great restaurant and a café. In the summertime you can participate in long-handle net fishing and river rafting. 
  • 🌍 Matkakoski Fiskecamp, Matkakoski 138, ☏ +46 70 539 6392. Net fishing, fishing from a boat. Try the different saunas and have a barbecue at the grilling area! Also camping places for caravans and campers. 
  • 🌍 Mattila bärodling, Mattila 235, ☏ +46 922 102 74. 3 km north of Haparanda. Try the local strawberries, blackcurrants and broccoli! You can also take these delicacies home, and even pick them yourself. 
  • 🌍 Palogården, Vojakkala 137 (6 km north of central Haparanda), ☏ +46 922 601 77. Guided nature trips, trips to the forest for mushrooms and berries. Hunting, tractor safaris, clay-pigeon shooting, go-kart track and a smoke sauna. Also a summer café and restaurant. On the premises there is a hostel in a former a gardening and agricultural school. Rooms start at 200 kr. 
  • 🌍 Aspen Karting Klubb, Vojakkala 167, ☏ +46 70 3335 5723. Open during summer time. An exciting go-kart track situated 9 km north of Haparanda. 
  • 🌍 Björkagård, Almarksvägen, ☏ +46 70 658 3897. Daily 08:00-19:0. A small animal farm with a donkey, a shetland pony, mini pigs, reindeer, a goat, rabbits and cats. 
  • 🌍 Candy World & Lekland, Norrskensvägen 4. The largest candy store in Europe! A playground for children. Day ticket 95 kr. 

Events
  • Diggiloo. A music event with top Swedish artists. 

Buy

Swedish kronor and euros are accepted in most stores.

  • 🌍 IKEA HaparandaTornio, Norrskensvägen 2. The northernmost IKEA in the world, it attracts people from northern Sweden, Norway, Finland and Russia. The largest candy store in Europe among other interesting shops can be found in the IKEA-operated Ikano mall next to the furniture store. 
  • 🌍 Butiken på landet. In a beautiful country environment 35 km north from Haparanda, in the Hulkoff manor (Hulkoffgården). The name translates to "The shop in the countryside" 
  • 🌍 Taavolagården, Mattila 218. 3 km north of Haparanda. You can buy tasty strawberries, fresh blackcurrants and other local products or have a coffee in a beautiful early 19th-century environment. 
  • 🌍 Tornedals Hemslöjd, Köpmansgatan 17. Furniture and other locally-made wooden objects. 
  • 🌍 Kungsfiskaren, Storgatan 88, ☏ +46 922 101 71. M-F 09:00-17:00, Sa 09:00-14:00. Very well stocked for fishing supplies. 

Eat

Budget

There are several cheap restaurants scattered in the city centre, some serve only lunch. For cheap grub, head out the in-store IKEA restaurant.

  • 🌍 Minerva, Torget 3, ☏ +46 922 688 00. M-F 11:00-13:30. A cosy café and lunch restaurant. 
  • 🌍 Pizzeria Amanda, Repslagaregatan 57, ☏ +46 922 109 99. Daily 10:00-22:00. Pizza, grilled food, kebab, tex mex and salad. 
  • 🌍 MAX, Norra Esplanaden 8 (in the Coop building 100 m from the border crossing). Daily 10:00-23:00. A hamburger restaurant with all sorts of freshly made hamburgers and salads, free WiFi and view towards Tornio. 

Mid-range
  • 🌍 Seskarö Wärdhus, Industrivägen 1, ☏ +46 922 202 44. Daily until 21:00. Buffet Sa Su 13:00-18:00. À la carte and bistro. 
  • 🌍 Hulkoffgården, Korpikylä 197, ☏ +46 922 320 15. An organic restaurant where they serve food produced on the farm. Also offers high standard bed and breakfast accommodation. Opportunity to fish and hunt. 

Splurge

Drink

Sleep

Budget
  • 🌍 Haparanda Vandrarhem, Strandgatan 26, ☏ +46 922-61171, . Situated by Tornio River in Haparanda centre. 23 rooms. Book ahead of time, as the reception desk is not always open during the advertised hours (16:00-19:00). From 200 kr per night. 
  • 🌍 Harjugården, Harju 131, Karungi, ☏ +46 922 320 94. 35 km north of Haparanda. Comfortable rooms for 2-4 people, cottages, saunas. 
  • 🌍 Långforsen, Lappträsk, ☏ +46 922 520 08. 25 km west of the Swedish Karungi village. Rooms and cottages for rent. Several saunas, a large hut, a scooter café and food. 
  • 🌍 Revonsaari Camping, Revonsaari 409 (Situated 9 km north of Haparanda.), ☏ +46 922 600 07, +46 70 690 1406. Tent and caravan/camper spots and a large cottage. 
  • 🌍 Seskarö Strandby & Camping, Tromsövägen 1, Seskarö (on the beautiful Seskarö island, 25 km south of Haparanda), ☏ +46 498 203 300. The camping site is open during the summer. Various cottages and camper/caravan/tent spots. A beach, mini golf track, campfire places and possibility to fish. Kiosk and grill-café. 

Mid-range

Splurge

Connect

As with most places in the western world, Wi-Fi is readily available at hotels, as well as a variety of other places.

Go next

Set your clock forward one hour, change your kronor to euros, get your Finnish phrasebook ready, and cross the Torne river into Tornio.

See also E4 through Sweden.

Routes through Haparanda
Sundsvall ← Luleå ←  W  E  → Tornio → Oulu


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