Arrival

The nearest railway station to Koli is in Joensuu, which can be easily reached from various parts of Finland.

In the summer season, you can continue from Joensuu by railbus to Vuonislahti, located on the eastern shore of Lake Pielinen, directly opposite Koli. From the Vuonislahti harbor, you can take a boat directly to Koli harbor. The boat operates twice daily in summer. Crossing Lake Pielinen is a memorable experience in itself!

Book your ride in advance, and your driver and car will be waiting for you — for example at Kolinportti, Joensuu Airport, or Joensuu railway station.

On Sundays, a pre-bookable shared taxi operates between Koli and Joensuu, departing from bus platform 5 at Joensuu railway station. From Koli to Joensuu, the shared taxi departs at around 10:45 a.m. (depending on your chosen departure stop), and from Joensuu to Koli at 12:00 noon. In Koli, the vehicle will only stop at those stops for which a ticket reservation has been made, so please choose your stop carefully when purchasing your ticket. There are around 20 stops in Koli in total. Tickets must be purchased in advance no later than 5:50 p.m. on the previous day. Tickets are not sold on board.

The nearest airports are in Joensuu and Kuopio. There are several daily flights from Helsinki to both cities. The flight time from Helsinki is approximately one hour.

From the airport, you can continue your journey by bus, rental car, or taxi.

In Lieksa, there is an open, accessible, demand-based local transport service operating between Koli, Juuka, and Lieksa, as well as between Ruunaa and Lieksa. The ride must be booked directly with the driver the day before, between 4–6 PM. Departure times are approximate; the driver will confirm the time upon booking.

Koli is easy to reach by private or rental car. Main roads bring you smoothly from both north and south — for example, the drive from Joensuu to Koli takes about one hour. Koli has multiple parking areas and clear signage to national park attractions and accommodation.

In winter, you can even drive across the ice road from Vuonislahti when conditions allow.

Rental cars at Joensuu Airport are available from Scandia Rent and Hertz.

Addr: Telitie 5, Joensuu , Finland , 80100
Tel: +358 20 555 2690
E-mail:
Our services also from Joensuu Airport & Railway station.
For discount mention ”KOLIN MATKAILU OY or CDP 952430” when contacting us. Cars and returns also available for example in Kuopio, Kajaani and Helsinki.

Addr: Harkkotie 5, 80130, Joensuu , Finland
Ask for offer: 
Info and reservations: https://scandiarent.fi/
With an advance reservation, it is possible to pick up a rental car from Joensuu railway station.
With the code “KOLI10”, you’ll get 10% off the list prices. See the price list here.

You can also check out rental cars from GoMore, Omago, and 24Rent.

You can also arrive at Koli by boat across Lake Pielinen. The Koli guest harbor (Rantatie 12, 83960 Koli, 63°6.7′ 29°48.4′) has ten guest berths, four of which are stern buoy places. Places cannot be reserved in advance — instead, pay upon arrival via the Lieksa city online store. The maximum stay at a berth is three nights.

It’s easy to bring your bike on the train, bus, or summer ferry from Vuonislahti. The Pielinen Tour cycling route runs around the lake and offers great access to the Koli area. Koli also has an extensive network of gravel roads from multiple directions.

Note: Cycling is not permitted on the hiking trails within Koli National Park.