The icebreaker as a day trip from Rovaniemi
Rovaniemi is where most winter visitors to Finnish Lapland sleep, and Kemi sits about 115 km (70 miles) away on the coast. You can do the icebreaker in one long day by bus, or move to Kemi for a night. This guide compares both routes with their times and prices.
How far Kemi is from Rovaniemi
Rovaniemi lies about 115 km (70 miles) north-east of Kemi, inland on the Arctic Circle. The icebreakers leave from Ajos harbor south of Kemi, on the frozen edge of the Bothnian Bay.
That makes the cruise a full-day outing from Rovaniemi rather than an afternoon add-on. You can take an organized bus straight to the ship, or ride the train to Kemi and stay over.
The Sampo day trip by bus
The Sampo package from Rovaniemi at ~$568 is the simplest option, though also the dearest. It is the full Sampo program plus a bus of about 1 h 45 min each way, so the day lasts 10–11 hours, and the morning version comes without a meal.
Pickups run at Santa's Igloos Arctic Circle, the Santa Claus Holiday Village (Joulumaantie 20), the Arctic TreeHouse Hotel and Scandic Pohjanhovi. Check your exact time on the booking.
For the morning cruise the first pickup is from 05:45, and you are back around 4:30 pm. For the afternoon cruise pickups start from 09:25, lunch is served on board, and you return around 8 pm.
The tour scores 4.6 from 240+ reviews on GetYourGuide, with value at 4.1. Plenty of reviewers grumble about the price, yet few say the day let them down.
What the long bus day feels like
The morning version means a pickup in the dark from 05:45, and the bus reaches Kemi in time for the Sampo program. You spend roughly three and a half hours on the road across the day. Bring water and a snack for the ride.
The afternoon version starts later and includes lunch on board, but it brings you back around 8 pm. That leaves little of the evening, so plan an easy dinner close to your hotel.
Either way the cruise itself matches the one sold in Kemi. You pay the extra for the transport and for not having to move hotels.
Polar Explorer with a shuttle
Polar Explorer also runs shuttles from Rovaniemi, and on GetYourGuide the shuttle option from ~$365 costs less than the Sampo bus day. The ship leaves from Axelsvik in Sweden, so the ride is longer.
One reviewer counts about 2.5 hours each way from Rovaniemi to Axelsvik. The route crosses the border, which means carrying a passport or ID card. Swedish time, one hour behind Finland, applies to the cruise.
Its listing scores 4.7 from 490+ reviews, the most of any icebreaker cruise in the area. The catch is free cancellation only up to 45 days ahead, and our guide to the Axelsvik crossing covers the rest.
Polar Explorer with the shuttle from Rovaniemi
Seven decks, an audio guide in 16 languages and floating in survival suits, from ~$365 on GetYourGuide with the shuttle. The Viator listing is the drive-yourself version, and free cancellation closes 45 days before.
Arktis is sold from Rovaniemi too
Icebreaking Company also sells its Arktis cruise as a package from Rovaniemi, rated 4.4 from 400+ reviews on GetYourGuide. It is not on our list, but it exists if the Sampo fare feels too steep.
Starting in Kemi itself, the Arktis cruise from ~$344 is the cheapest option of all. That matters if you choose the train route below.
Train to Kemi and a night on the coast
Trains run between Rovaniemi and Kemi, and Kemi railway station is one of the pickup points for the Sampo cruise. Check the current timetable before you plan around it.
A night in Kemi turns a 10-hour bus day into a calm morning. Sampo pickups in town start from 07:00 for the morning cruise and from 10:45 for the afternoon one, and you book the Sampo cruise from Kemi at ~$451 instead of the Rovaniemi package.
The saving on the fare can cover part of a hotel room. Our Kemi day guide covers the SnowCastle and what else the small town offers.
Driving yourself
With a rental car you can drive down to Kemi and book the cruise from there. Private cars cannot reach the harbor, so you leave yours in the free parking at the SnowCastle area and ride the 15-minute shuttle.
Winter roads in Lapland are icy and the days short, so allow extra time. For Polar Explorer, the Viator listing is the own-transport version, with arrival at the Axelsvik terminal at least 30 minutes before departure.
Which route suits you
- The bus day trip if you have one free day and do not want to change hotels
- The Polar Explorer shuttle if you want a lower fare and your dates are fixed
- The train and a night in Kemi if you prefer shorter days and a clear evening by the sea
- Arktis from Kemi if price comes first and you can live without lunch on board
With small children, the long bus day is a lot to ask, and our family guide weighs the options. Pack warm whichever way you go, using our clothing guide for the layers.
The ice has a say too. A walk or a float can be cut when conditions turn, so read about thin-ice days and our season guide before picking a date.