Looking Into the Midnight Sun on a Finland Trip

Young (and young-at-heart) travelers can economically explore Finland this summer by bike or rental car, using “go-as-you-please” packages created by Finnish Youth Hostels’ SRM Travel.

Many young travelers wind up in Finland en route to other destinations. Nudged between Sweden and Russia, this land of the midnight sun (a summertime experience) is one of the least densely populated countries in Europe. You can cruise to its capital, Helsinki, on overnight ferries from Stockholm (student, youth and Eurailpass discounts available). From Helsinki, St. Petersburg, Russia, is just seven hours by train, and Tallinn, Estonia, is a 50-mile ferry ride across the Baltic Sea.

Hostelling by Bike packages include accommodations for the first night at Stadion Hostel in Helsinki, a bike for seven or 14 days, vouchers for six or 13 more nights at 150 SRM hostels throughout Finland (shared-room accommodation), hostel information and a road map of Finland. The cost of the seven-night package is about $235; 14 nights are $417. Some single and double rooms are available for a supplemental charge.

Carry your own sheets or sleeping bag or you’ll have to rent bed linens at the hostels for about $3 to $5 per night. Breakfast will cost $4 to $5.

For complete information on cycling or rental car-and-hostel packages, visit the Internet site https://www.srmnet.org or contact SRM Travel, Yrjonkatu 38 B 15, 00100 Helsinki, Finland; telephone 011-358-9-565-7150, fax 011-358-9-565-71510, e-mail info@srm.inet.fi.

If you are traveling with a Eurailpass or Eurail Youthpass, always confirm that the company you are planning to travel with will honor your pass for free or discounted travel.

Youth rail passes are also available in the four Scandinavian countries. If you are under 26, you are eligible for a youth Scanrail Pass for unlimited first-or second-class rail travel in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden.

Purchased in North America, any five days of unlimited train travel within one month costs $207 first class or $153 second class. For 10 days within one month, it’s $315 first class or $233 second class. For 21 consecutive days of travel, it’s $365 first class or $270 second class. This pass also entitles you to free or discounted travel on selected ferries, boats and buses. For details see a travel agent or visit https://www.raileurope.com.

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There’s good and bad news for young Britain-bound travelers. Because of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak, the Youth Hostel Assn. of England & Wales has closed about 100 hostels in rural areas. About 120 YHA hostels in Britain remain open, and the YHA has extended its special offer of five nights for the price of four at 21 of its hostels until June 30.

The City of London Hostel is participating. It’s across from St. Paul’s Cathedral at 36 Carter Lane, tel. 011-44-207-236-4965. The youth hostels in Bath, Bristol, Oxford Street, St. Pancras, Rotherhithe, Windsor and Penzance are not extending this deal. To find out more information, visit https://www.yha.org.uk.

The British Tourist Authority is posting current foot-and-mouth disease information online at https://www.travelbritain.org. Student-style travelers can monitor the situation and hostel closings in surrounding countries on the following Web sites: An Oige (Irish Youth Hostels Assn.), https://www.irelandyha.org; Hostelling International Northern Ireland, https://www.hin.org.uk; Scottish Youth Hostels Assn., https://www.syha.org.uk; Netherlands Tourist Office, https://www.holland.com; Netherlands Youth Hostel Assn., https://www.njhc.org; and French Youth Hostels Assn., https://www.fuaj.org.

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Lucy Izon is a Toronto-based writer. Internet https://www.izon.com.