First leg of my interrail is not technically interrail, but a bus from Oulu to Haparanda, Sweden, paid without any concession. Feels weird to start the trip south by traveling northwards.
The Finnish ticket shop Matkahuolto insists on using Finnish time everywhere, so according to timetable I’ll be arriving 13:05, instead of the actual 12:05. Also SJ sometimes shows timetables in user’s local time, making that, too an hour off. Annoying and unpractical.
I’m in Lapland!
… met with a huge cue of cars, in the opposite direction, to my luck. If you’re planning to drive E8 south through Simo area, don’t. There has been an accident, not too serious it seems, but traffic is stuck.
And now in Sweden!
The bus route from Oulu ended to the Haparanda-Tornio Travel centre, but I asked the driver just for laughs if he was continuing to the railway station. He said he indeed has a habit to take a stretch there, in case someone is going.
I don't know if it's every driver's habit or official or if I just got lucky, but it was very nice, since the station was further than I thought.
And what a station Haparanda is! Magnificent! The only thing missing is a cafeteria, but luckily I have some provisions. It does feel a tad unrespectful to nibble knäckebröd in this fancy environment, though.
mkivinen
Maria Luosto