Can you rent a car and drive in Lapland in winter?
What we would want you to know before driving to our cabins in Levi
Recently, one of our future guests asked us a very good question:
‘‘Can we rent a car in December and drive to your cabins?’’
And we realized that if they were wondering about it, there are probably many others planning their first winter trip to Lapland asking exactly the same thing.
The short answer is:
Yes, absolutely. But you don’t have to.
Our home and cabins are around 20km outside Levi and you can drive all the way here with a normal car throughout winter. You don’t need a 4WD or any special Arctic vehicle.
But if you’ve never driven on snow and ice before, we completely understand why the idea of picking up a rental car at Kittilä Airport in December might feel a little intimidating.
So rather than simply telling you yes, you can drive here, here’s what we would want a friend to know before doing it for the first time.
What are the roads actually like in winter?
This is probably one of the biggest differences for someone arriving from a country where snow is unusual.
Don’t expect every road to be cleared down to bare asphalt.
During winter, roads in Lapland can have a layer of compacted snow or ice on them - and that is completely normal. Roads are regularly ploughed and maintained, but a white road doesn’t necessarily mean a bad road.
Rental cars operating here are prepared for Finnish winter conditions and use winter tires during winter season. This is regulated by Finnish law.
Good winter tires make a huge difference, but they don’t change the laws of physics.
You’ll still want to accelerate, brake and steer more gently than you would on a dry summer road.
This video is taken in November 21st around 3pm. November is definitely one of our favorite months as that’s when we usually get our first snow. It usually isn’t enough yet to do snowmobile, husky or reindeer tours but there is still plenty of other things to experience!
Do I need a 4WD?
For reaching our cabins under normal winter conditions - you don’t need a 4WD.
A normal rental car with proper winter tires is sufficient for the journey.
Four-wheel drive can of course be nice to have, but good tires, appropriate speed and the person behind the wheel matter far more than having a large vehicle.
Drive according to the conditions, not just the speed limit
This is perhaps the most important advice we can give you.
If the sign says 80km/h, that doesn’t mean YOU need to drive 80km/h.
Snowfall, wind, ice and visibility can change road conditions considerably. Leave more distance than usual between you and the car in front, avoid sudden braking or steering and give yourself plenty of time to get where you’re going.
And if you notice a local catching up behind you?
Don’t let that pressure you into driving faster.
Let the locals pass
This is particularly relevant on the last part of the journey to our home.
The final roughly 10km are along a smaller local road. People who live here drive it every day. They know the bends, hills and road conditions extremely well, so don’t be surprised if someone catches up with you even though you are already driving as fast as feels comfortable.
Please don’t speed up because of them.
Keep driving at a speed that feels safe.
When you reach a section where overtaking is possible, you can use your right indicator to show that you’ve noticed the vehicle behind you and are giving them space to pass. You can also ease off the accelerator and slow down a little while they overtake, helping them complete the maneuver efficiently.
The driver doing the overtaking is still responsible for deciding whether it is actually safe to do so - your indicator isn’t a guarantee that the road ahead is clear. But it tells them that you have noticed them and are willing to help them to overtake you.
And if there isn’t a safe opportunity to pass yet? Just keep going.
Locals would much rather wait behind you for another minute than have you drive faster as it can lead them having to later pull you out from the snow..
This picture is from our smaller local road. Take your time - it is a beautiful ride!
December is dark - really dark
If you’re visiting around December, another unfamiliar part of driving here might be the lack of daylight.
We’re well above the Arctic Circle and around the darkest part of the winter the sun doesn’t rise above the horizon here. Instead, we get a few beautiful hours of blue and pastel twilight in the middle of the day.
That also means you’ll probably do quite a lot of driving in darkness.
Make sure you clear snow and ice properly from your windows, mirrors and lights before setting off - not just a little viewing hole in the windscreen. ;)
And take extra care when visibility is reduced by snowfall.
There’s no reason to rush!
And then there are the reindeer
This deserves its own section.
Reindeer roam freely in much of Lapland.
And yes, sometimes they stand in the middle of the road.
Sometimes there’s one. Sometimes several.
Sometimes they seem entirely unconcerned about your travel plans.
If you see a reindeer, slow down early and be prepared to stop. If one crosses the road, remember that there may be more animals following behind it.
Never assume that a reindeer is going to behave predictably around your car.
Sometimes the only solution is simply to wait.
Welcome to Lapland.
Picture credit to Levi Nyt our local newspaper.
Keep your winter clothing with you
Even if you’re only making a short journey, we recommend having your proper outdoor clothing in the car with you.
It’s very easy to think:
Airport → warm rental car → warm cabin. I don’t need all my layers.
But if something unexpected happens and you need to stop when it’s -25C outside, you’ll be very happy to have your warm jacket, gloves, hat and proper footwear with you.
Winter conditions deserve respect even on ordinary journeys.
What if it’s snowing heavily?
Lapland is still Lapland.
Roads are maintained throughout winter, but if it has been snowing heavily, you may encounter fresh snow before the plough has passed.
Conditions can also change surprisingly quickly.
This is one of the reasons we recommend leaving some flexibility in your plans rather than scheduling every minute of your holiday.
Sometimes traveling in the Arctic means adjusting your plans to the conditions rather than expecting the conditions to adjust to your plans.
Video taken December 27th around 4pm. This is not daily conditions but sometimes if there is snowfall and wind at the same time this is what it can look like.
Two mistakes we see visitors make:
Number 1.
Don’t blindly follow your GPS
Picture credit to Helsingin sanomat newspaper. I wish this would be an isolated case, but it happens quite a lot..
This might be obvious, but it’s a surprisingly easy mistake to make in winter.
Google Maps and other navigation apps don’t always understand what a road looks like under a metre of snow. A route that appears possible on your screen might not be a maintained winter road at all.
We have seen visitors accidentally drive onto snowmobile tracks - and once you realize your mistake, you may already be stuck.
Snow can also make it surprisingly difficult to tell where a small road ends and a snowmobile track begins, particularly in darkness.
So use your GPS as a guide, not as unquestionable instructions.
If the route in front of you suddenly doesn’t look like a proper ploughed road, stop somewhere safe and check before continuing. Don’t assume that because Google tells you to turn there, your rental car should actually go there.
The red X is a sign of snowmobile track!
And definitely don’t follow another set of tracks simply because someone else has driven there. Those tracks may have been made by a snowmobile. 😉
Picture credit Liikenneturva.
Number 2. Northern Lights are not a reason to forget road safety
We understand the excitement. And really - we can’t remember how many times we have had to stop on our way home to admire the show!
You’re driving through Lapland, suddenly there are Northern Lights above you and your first instinct is:
STOP THE CAR!
But please don’t just stop anywhere.
Continue until you find somewhere you can safely get completely out of the way of traffic. Avoid stopping on bends, hills or narrow sections of road where another driver may not see you in time.
And once you’ve stopped, remember that you’re still beside a road.
It can be tempting to switch off every light because you want complete darkness for viewing or photography. But your car still needs to be visible to other road users. Finnish trafic rules also require appropriate lights on vehicles stopped or parked on a road in darkness or poor visibility unless the vehicle is otherwise clearly visible from sufficient distance.
And please don’t automatically put your emergency/hazard lights on just because you’ve stopped to look at the Northern Lights.
Emergency/Hazard lights communicate that there is a reason to warn other traffic. Around here, seeing a vehicle stopped on a dark winter road with its hazards flashing can make another driver think someone might need help.
If you genuinely have a problem or your vehicle presents a hazard to other traffic, that’s different - make yourself visible and warn others appropriately. Finnish law also requires a warning triangle when a vehicle has stopped outside a built-up area in position where it could endanger traffic and can’t immediately be moved somewhere safer.
The Northern Lights can wait another thirty seconds while you find somewhere safe.
No photograph is worth creating a dangerous situation on a dark winter road.
Timelapse of Northern Lights dancing over our farm.
Should you rent a car if you’ve never driven on snow?
This depends much more on you than on Lapland.
If you’re a reasonably confident driver, take your time and are comfortable adapting to unfamiliar conditions, renting a car can be a wonderful way to explore the area.
Having your own car gives you freedom. Especially if you want to stay somewhere outside of the town.
You can go into Levi for dinner, pick up groceries, explore the surrounding area or stop somewhere simply because the light looks beautiful.
But if the thought of driving on snow and ice already makes you nervous, your holiday probably isn’t the best moment to force yourself to learn.
And importantly:
You don’t need a rental car to stay with us.
Do you need a car to stay at Polar Tranquil?
No.
While having your own car gives you more independence, we’ve intentionally designed our stays so that renting a car isn’t a requirement.
Cabin Stay
With our Cabin Stay - airport transfers are included when needed.
That means you can fly into Kittilä, let us come and get you and enjoy staying outside Levi without having to drive yourself. We can also pick you up from Levi centre area.
If you’d like to do more during your stay, you can also book additional activities through us and the trusted local partners we work with. We can help with the practicalities and transport around those experiences too.
So staying without a car certainly doesn’t mean being stuck at the cabin.
Although, to be fair, we think spending an entire day or two doing very little at the cabin can be a pretty good way to spend your holidays in Lapland. The cabin has snowshoes that you can use to go for walks in our forest, you can sit by the river and listen the water underneath the ice or just simply enjoy and unplug around your fireplace and soak in the outdoor hot tub while waiting for northern lights.
Fully Hosted Stay
With our Fully Hosted Stay - it’s even simpler.
We take care of the practicalities, including transport, as part of your stay.
You don’t need to spend your holiday thinking about how to get somewhere, what to book next or whether you feel comfortable driving in the conditions.
You can simply arrive and let us look after the rest.
10th of January when sun finally peeks to say hi after polar night season.
So, can you rent a car and drive to Polar Tranquil?
Absolutely.
You don’t need a special Arctic vehicle and under normal winter conditions our cabins are accessible with a regular car equipped appropriately for Finnish weather.
For guests who enjoy independence and feel confident behind the wheel, renting a car can be a great choice.
But the other half of our answer is just as important:
You don’t have to.
If you’d rather look out of the window while someone else drives, we’ll come and get you.
And if you’re unsure which option would suit you - tell us. Let us know a little about your plans and your experience with winter driving and we’ll happily help you decide.
Our best advice?
Don’t be afraid of winter driving in Lapland - but don’t underestimate it either.
Slow down.
Leave more space.
Avoid sudden movements.
Watch the weather.
Look out for reindeers.
Keep warm clothes with you.
And never let someone who knows the road better than you pressure you into driving faster than feels safe.
“After all, we hope you came to Lapland to slow down.
You might as well start on the way to the cabin.”