Riihimäki is in Tavastia Proper, about 70 km north of Helsinki. The most notable attractions in the city are museums, such as the Glass Museum hosted in the former glass factory of Riihimäen Lasi, and while Riihimäki isn't exactly a prime tourist destination, quite a number of travellers pass through every day. An industrial town of about 29,000 inhabitants (2021), Riihimäki is an important railway junction.
Understand
[edit | edit source]Riihimäki isn't an old city, even compared with other Finnish cities. The first railway in the country (at the time a Grand Duchy of the Russian Empire) was opened between Helsinki and Hämeenlinna in 1862, and the small station of Riihimäki was built pretty much in the middle of nowhere. A few years later a railway from Lahti and eventually all the way from the imperial capital St. Petersburg was opened, joining the first railway in Riihimäki and thus it became an important railway junction, which it remains, and a town started to grow around it. In 1960 Riihimäki received city status.
Today Riihimäki is an industrial city, also home to some governmental functions like a garrison and Riihimäki Prison with the highest security level in Finland.
Tourist information
[edit | edit source]- Riihimäki tourism information
Get in
[edit | edit source]By train
[edit | edit source]- 1 Riihimäki railway station. Riihimäki is on the Finnish main north–south train line between Helsinki and Tampere and further all the way to Northern Finland. Most trains stop here. In addition, there are some trains from Lahti. Commuter train lines R, T and D come in from Helsinki (about every half hour during daytime), R from Tampere, and G from Lahti (about hourly). Coming from Helsinki airport, take train P to Tikkurila and switch to one of the trains from Helsinki.
By bus
[edit | edit source]The railway station doubles as bus station. You can get in by bus from nearby major cities, see Matkahuolto for schedules. As the centre is quite far from the motorway (3 km to the bus station), many of the buses between Helsinki and Tampere don't stop in Riihimäki centre but instead use the highway stop, called Riihimäki liittymä 19.
By car
[edit | edit source]Highway 3 (E12) from Helsinki to Hämeenlinna, Tampere and Vaasa passes near Riihimäki. E12 continues from Vaasa to Umeå and Norway as the Blue Highway. In the east–west direction there's highway 54 between Lahti and Forssa.
Get around
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By car
[edit | edit source]Traffic isn't busy and vacant parking lots are easily found.
By bus
[edit | edit source]Riihimäki has 7 local bus lines and a service line. Line #1 goes once an hour, other lines even less frequently. A single bus ticket costs €3.30 for adults and €1.70 for children. There is a route planner for local trips. The Opas.matka.fi[dead link] route planner has information about regional routes. Matkahuolto's smartphone app Routes and Tickets has address based routing and also a ticket purchase option directly from the app.
By dial-a-ride
[edit | edit source]R-kyyti is Riihimäki's dial-a-ride service, which operates according to customers' own routes and schedules.
Order an R-ride with Matkahuolto's Routes & Tickets application or by calling +358 20-614-4400 (ppm, M–F 07:00–17:00).
You can order a ride within the service area and operating time, which is M–F 05:00–23:00, Sa Su 07:00–17:00. You can place an order immediately or in advance. Routes are created based on customer orders. The timetable is announced as a flexible interval so that passengers travelling in the same direction can be combined on the same routes.
In the summer, you can also order a ride to the beaches of Hirvijärvi and Paalijärvi, when you book an arrival at the beach at the following times (departure from the beach must also be ordered during these times):
- M–F 10:00, 13:00, 16:00 and 19:00
- Sa Su 10:00, 13:00 and 16:00
By foot
[edit | edit source]As the town is small, pretty much everything is within walking distance – although for the western sights you need to walk 2.5 km and for Lempivaara 4–5 km.
By bike
[edit | edit source]There is a bike sharing system using Bluetooth and the Donkey Republic. Prices: about €1.50/1 hr, €4/5 hr, €12/24 hr. For longer stays becoming a member is cheaper: €9 or €18/month covers all trips of less than 1 hr respectively 12 hr, also in other towns using Donkey Republic – but you need to register as member in the country of your card (available: most countries in western Europe and USA). Customer service info@kaakau.fi, ☏ +358 44-716-0644 daily 09:00–21:00. Several towns in south-east Finland use the same system, which is in use also elsewhere in Finland and abroad.
By scooter
[edit | edit source]You can rent electric kick scooters for use in the centre from Finnish Swup.
By taxi
[edit | edit source]- Taksi Häme, iTaksi: see Tavastia_Proper#By_taxi
- Lähitaksi, ☏ +358 100 7300 (extra charge: €1.92+€2.5/min+pvm). Traditionally the main taxi dispatch service in the capital region outside of Helsinki. Smartphone app: Taksini Daytime M–Sa €3.90+€1/1.45/km+0.90/min, nights and holidays €7.90+1.05/1.55/km+0.99/min; prebooking €7/14; the lower km and prebooking fees for 1–4 persons.
- Menevä Riihimäki, ☏ +358 50-471-0470 (head of office), toll-free: 0800-02120 (booking). Also bookable by app or web. Fixed price based on calculated route and time if destination address given when booking by app or web. Flag fall M–Sa 06:00–18:00: €4, other times and holidays: €7; 1–4 persons €0.90/km + €0.90/min, 5–8 persons minimum €20, €1.60/km + €0.90/min (March 2021).
- Smartphone apps: Valopilkku, 02 Taksi
See
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- 1 Suomen Metsästysmuseo, Tehtaankatu 23, ☏ +358 19 722 294, info@metsastysmuseo.fi. Tue-Sun 10:00-16:00. Hunting Museum of Finland. €6 adults, €3 kids.
- 2 Suomen lasimuseo, Tehtaankatu 23, ☏ +358 19 758 4108, glass.museum@riihimaki.fi. Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00. Glass Museum of Finland, housed in an old glass factory. €6 adults, €3 kids.
- 3 Riihimäen taidemuseo, Temppelikatu 8, ☏ +358 19 758 4124, taidemuseo@riihimaki.fi. Tue-Thu 11:00–18:00, Fri-Sun 11:00–17:00. Riihimäki Art Museum. €5 adults, €2.5 kids.
- 4 Riihimäen kaupunginmuseo, Öllerinkatu 3, ☏ +358 19 758 4116, kaupunginmuseo@riihimaki.fi. Wed Sun 12:00-18:00. Riihimäki city museum. free.
- 5 Valtakunnallinen työväentalomuseo, Hj. Elomaankatu, info@tyovaentalomuseo.fi. May-Sep: Sun 12:00-16:00. National Worker's House Museum. free.
- 6 Finland's highest flagpole (Suomen korkein lippusalko), Merkoksenkatu 5. 40 m high, this is one of Finland's tallest flagpoles.
Do
[edit | edit source]- 1 Kansainväliset erämessut (International Outdoors Fair), Urheilupuisto, info@riihimaenmessut.fi. Biannually in even-numbered years, in June.
- 2 Riihimäen maauimala/uimahalli, Salpausseläntie 16, ☏ +358 19 758-4730, uimala.kassa@riihimaki.fi. Mon Wed-Fri 06:00 – 20:00, Tue 13:00 – 20:00, Sat Sun 10:00 – 17:00. Swimming hall open during the winter. During the summer the indoor hall is closed, and the outdoor pool is open. adults M–F 06:00–14:00 €3.50, other times €5.50, kids always €3.
- 3 Puuhamaa Amusement Park (in Tervakoski, Janakkala).
Buy
[edit | edit source]- 1 [dead link] Kauppakeskus Atomi, Etelän Viertotie 2. Mon-Sat 08:00-21:00, Sun 10:00-21:00.
- 2 Merkos shopping area, Merkoksenkatu 5. Several big stores next to each other, including Citymarket, Gigantti and Biltema.
- 3 Femmatori, Etelän Viertotie 1, ☏ +358 50 4306 510. Large flea market.
Eat
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- Hesburger. Mon-Sat 10:00-21:00, Sun 12:00-21:00. The national hamburger chain has restaurants in Merkos, the Atomi mall and the ABC service station. €5-10.
- 1 Subway, Etelän viertotie 2, ☏ +358 10-820-0420. Mon–Fri 09:00–21:00, Sat 10:00–20:00, Sun 12:00–19:00. €5-10.
- 2 Ravintola AsemaX, Asema-aukio, ☏ +358 19 449-333, asemax@asemax.fi. Mon–Fri 09:00–22:00, Sat 10:00–23:00, Sun:00 12-20:00. Restaurant at the railway station. €10-30, buffet at lunchtime €10.20.
Drink
[edit | edit source]Cafés
[edit | edit source]- 1 Feeniks Café, Hämeenkatu 25-27, tiina.numento@hotmail.com. Mon–Fri 11:00–19:00, Sat 11:00–16:00.
- 2 Café Kotileipomo Laine, Kaarlonkatu 18, ☏ +358 10 4703 746, toimisto@kotileipomolaine.fi. Mon-Fri 08:00-17:00.
Bars and pubs
[edit | edit source]- 3 Bulldog Bar, Eteläinen asemakatu 2, ☏ +358 50-517-7002. Sun Mon 11:00–23:00, Tue–Thu 11:00-00:00, Fri Sat 11:00–02:00.
- 4 Riihimäen Poolbar, Eteläinen asemakatu 2, ☏ +358 440-766-527, info@poolbar.fi. Mon 16:00–22:00, Tue–Thu 16:00–00:00, Fri 16:00–02:00, Sat 14:00–02:00, Sun 14:00–22:00. Pool bar, that has pool equipment for sale as well.
Nightclubs
[edit | edit source]Sleep
[edit | edit source]Budget
[edit | edit source]- 1 Matkailukeskus Lempivaara, Karhintie 196, ☏ +358 19 719-200, info@lempivaara.fi. Camping area with cottages, as well as places for tents and campervans. The smallest (and cheapest) cottages are closed in the winter.
Mid-range
[edit | edit source]- 2 Scandic Riihimäki, Hämeenaukio 1, ☏ +358 19 7721.
- 3 Hotel Seurahuone, Hämeenkatu 29, ☏ +358 19 716-270, myynti@seurahuone.fi.
Splurge
[edit | edit source]Stay healthy
[edit | edit source]- 1 Riihimäen terveysasema, Penttilänkatu 5. Emergency room.
Pharmacies
[edit | edit source]- 2 Aarre Apteekki, Hämeenkatu 24-26, ☏ +358 293 400 540. Mon-Fri 08:00–19:00, Sat 09:30–17:00, Sun 11:00–15:00.
- 3 Apteekki Merkos, Merkoksenkatu 5, ☏ +358 10 321 4950, info@apteekkimerkos.fi. Mon-Fri 08:00-20:00, Sat 08:00-17:00, Sun 11:00-18:00.
- 4 Aurinko Apteekki, Voimalankatu 2, ☏ +358 19 5363 600, aurinko@apteekit.net. Mon-Fri 08:00-21:00, Sat 09:00-17:00, Sun 10:00-18:00.
Stay safe
[edit | edit source]- 5 Riihimäen poliisiasema, Temppelikatu 8, ☏ +358 295 430 311. Mon–Fri 08:00–16:15. Police station.
Connect
[edit | edit source]Go next
[edit | edit source]| Routes through Riihimäki |
| Hämeenlinna ← Janakkala ← | N | → Hyvinkää → Helsinki |
| Tammela ← Loppi ← | W | → Hausjärvi → Hollola |

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