ÅA Survival Guide 2015-2016

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Tr ave l and Tr an s po r t
8. Travel and
Transport
Both Åbo and Vasa are fairly small cities and
distances rarely get too long. You can often get
around on foot or by bike. Note, however, that
you should not walk in the marked bicycler’s
lane, but in the lane marked for pedestrians. For
your own safety, cross the street only when the
light is green and definitely wear a reflector tag
when it is dark. For longer distances the public
transport systems are at your service.
8.1 Biking
By bike you can go almost anywhere in Åbo/
Vasa, and often much faster than by car.
Remember to install a light on your bike and use
it when it’s dark, and also make sure your bike
has reflectors. Both are regulated by law and you
can get fined if you ignore these regulations. We
also recommend you wear a helmet and always
lock your bike to prevent it from being stolen.
Note that bikers are only allowed to bike on
the sidewalk when it is specifically marked that
bikers are allowed (bike lane or combined bike/
pedestrian lane). At other times bikers must
keep to the road and follow regular traffic rules.
At the tourist information offices you can ask for
a map of the biking lanes in the city:
Turku Touring
Auragatan 4
20100 Åbo
Phone: +358 (0)2 262 7444
(Åbo)
Vasa Tourist Information/Vaasan Seudun Matkailu
Rådhusgatan 30
65100 Vasa
Phone: +358 (0)6 325 1145
Most of the bicycle shops sell second hand
bikes as well as new ones. You can also find used
bikes at recycling centres. At least in Åbo, the
police also keeps an action in the autumn where
they sell unclaimed found/stolen bikes. If you
only wish to rent a bike for the day, contact the
tourist information.
8.2 Buses, Taxi, Car Rental andTrains
City buses
Bus stops are marked by yellow/black or blue/
white signs. The yellow ones indicate bus stops
for the Åbo/Vasa City Transport Service and the
blue ones for long distance buses. The numbers
given at the bus stops with a yellow sign indicate
which buses stop there.
To get on a bus, wait at the right bus stop and be
prepared to signal, by waving your hand, to the
driver that you want to get on the bus. You must
always get on the bus through the doors closest
to the front.
To get off the bus, press the ’stop’ button at a
reasonable distance beforehand to indicate to
the driver that you wish to get off. You should
always get off through the doors in the middle
or back of the bus.
Bus timetables are found online, in printed
form at the local transport service office, and
sometimes at the bus stops. The city of Åbo also
offers an online trip planner service: Brahe Trip
Planner . For more
information about costs, timetables, routes etc.,
please visit the local transport service office or
their websites:
Åbo
Åbo Lokaltrafik
Auragatan 5
20100 Åbo
Open: Mon-Fri 8.00-18.00, Sat 9.00-14.00
Vasa
Vasa Lokaltrafik
Hovrättsesplanaden 11
65100 Vasa
Open: Mon-Fri 11.00-16.30