By air, Joensuu Airport receives direct flights from Helsinki (Finnair and Norra operate the route) with several departures daily — the flight takes about an hour. The airport is five kilometres from the city centre; taxis and buses serve the route.
By train, Joensuu is connected to Helsinki by direct InterCity trains that run several times daily. The journey takes around four to five hours depending on the service, and the route passes through Lahti, Kouvola and Parikkala. The train station is in the city centre.
By bus, long-distance coaches connect Joensuu to Helsinki, Tampere, and regional towns in North Karelia. Onnibus runs budget-priced services on the main routes. The bus terminal is adjacent to the train station.
From Russia, Joensuu is relatively close to the border — the crossing at Niirala is about 80 kilometres away — and the city has historically been a transit point between Finland and Russia, though current travel conditions should be checked before planning any cross-border trip.