Rovaniemi Airport (IATA: RVN) sits 10 kilometres north of the city centre, on the road to Santa Claus Village. Finnair operates regular flights from Helsinki (around 1 hour 15 minutes), and during the winter season there are direct charter and scheduled flights from London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, and other European cities. The airport handles significant traffic in December — book early for the Christmas period.
By train from Helsinki, the journey takes around 8 to 10 hours on the overnight sleeper, which is an excellent way to travel: you board in the evening, sleep through the journey, and arrive in Rovaniemi in the morning. VR (the Finnish state railway) operates comfortable sleeper carriages with private rooms. Booking in advance is advisable.
By road, Rovaniemi is roughly 800 kilometres from Helsinki, a drive of around 8 to 9 hours via the E75. The road is excellent and well-maintained in winter, but driving on Finnish winter roads requires winter tyres (mandatory by law) and experience with icy conditions. Rental cars are available at the airport and in the city.