How to get from Oulu airport (OUL) into the city and to your onward connection: public transport, taxi and rental car for 2026.
Oulu Airport (OUL), 15 km southwest of Oulu city, is Finland's third-busiest airport after Helsinki-Vantaa and Rovaniemi. Finnair flies from Helsinki about ten times a day, and a small set of international routes operates, such as airBaltic to Riga. It's a major business hub (Nokia, tech) and a popular backdoor to Lapland: fly to OUL, then continue 1.5–3 hours north to Kemi, Rovaniemi or Kuusamo (just south of the Lapland border).
On weekdays each line runs about every 30 minutes from about 05:00 to 22:30, with a few later night departures; weekends have fewer buses. Bus 8 reaches the bus station by the railway station in about 25 minutes, bus 9 the city hall in about 30–40. Pay €2.90 in the OSL app or by contactless card, or €5.00 in cash.
OTAXI (0600 30081) charges a fixed €44 between the airport and the city centre for 1–4 people (€50 for 5–8). At the terminal OTAXI uses taxi lanes 1 and 2, FixuTaxi and Kovanen lane 3 (Finavia). Bolt also operates in Oulu.
Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Europcar, Green Motion, Hertz, Scandia Rent and Sixt serve the airport (Finavia). Handy for onward trips to Lapland.
Take bus 8 to the station and continue by InterCity or night train to Rovaniemi (about 2 h 20–2 h 30) or south to Helsinki (from about 5 h 30).
How do I get from Oulu airport to the city?
Bus 8 or 9, €2.90 in the OSL app or by contactless card (€5.00 in cash), about 25–35 minutes. OTAXI's fixed taxi fare to the centre is €44. Bolt also operates in Oulu.
Can I get to Rovaniemi from Oulu airport?
Yes: bus 8 to Oulu station, then the VR train to Rovaniemi, about 2 h 20–2 h 30. Or rent a car at the airport: about 235 km, roughly 2 h 45 by car.
Is OUL a good alternative to Rovaniemi airport?
It can be: Finnair flies to Oulu about ten times a day. Add roughly 2.5–3 hours by train or car to reach Rovaniemi, and compare the total cost.
Bolt operates in Oulu. The taxi lanes at the terminal are used by OTAXI, FixuTaxi and Kovanen.
Flying to OUL and continuing by train or car can cost less than flying straight to RVN, so compare the total price.
OTAXI's fixed €44 fare covers central Oulu from Puistokatu to Heikinkatu and from the market square to the railway.
Bolt also operates in Oulu if you prefer an app ride.
On weekdays buses 8 and 9 each run about every 30 minutes, so together a bus leaves roughly every 15 minutes; weekends have fewer departures.
In summer, Nallikari Beach is a short bus ride from the city centre.