Santa Express Helsinki to Rovaniemi train – the night train to Lapland

There’s something so very evocative about train travel and a night train to Lapland feels particularly magical. We absolutely love travelling this way and have taken the night train across Morocco and a Russian night train. As soon as we heard about the Santa Express – a Helsinki to Rovaniemi train, we knew we wanted to experience it. It seemed like the perfect way to get to the north of Finland on our budget DIY trip to Lapland. If you’re looking to travel to this picturesque region of the country this is a wonderful way to get there. We travelled on the Helsinki Rovaniemi train with kids and our review of the Santa Express train is based on staying in two different cabins. We found it the perfect way to get from Helsinki to Lapland and it made a real adventure of the journey. Keep reading to the end to see a video of our time on board.

Read more:

Our ultimate guide to Lapland with kids

Our ultimate guide to Helsinki with kids

*AD / This post contains affiliate links & as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. We may also have been compensated in this post either financially or with products / stays. To read more see our Disclosure Policy.

Helsinki train station

Helsinki train station is particularly evocative and feels like it’s from a 1940’s film scene.

The tall figures holding glowing orbs outside the entrance have something Soviet looking about them. 

We spent a fair bit of time in the station before our train departed. There are plenty of coffee shops and fast food restaurants here in the station so it’s nice to pass the time in.

It’s easy to read the arrivals and departures and get ready for the trains when they arrive.

There’s plenty of time to board the Helsinki to Rovaniemi train too. They come in to the station around 20 minutes before they’re due to leave so no rush to get on.

As the train set off there was a wave of excitement. We were so happy to be rocking our way through the night from Helsinki to Lapland. 

The Cabins on board the Helsinki to Rovaniemi train

The cheapest way to travel is to simply book a seat on the train which is certainly possible and the train didn’t feel crowded.

There was plenty of space and comfortable chairs to relax into.

Most people opted for a cabin on board though.

We stayed in two different cabins – interconnecting on the way to Lapland and then non interconnecting but with private bathrooms on the way back.

Interconnecting two bedroom cabins for families – Santa Express Train

The interconnecting cabins had two beds in each without our own bathroom. There were clean and spacious bathrooms at each end of the hallway.

Our beds were really comfortable.

We had duvets and pillows and it was all made up for us as we boarded.

We also each had a towel each and water.

There was a sink in the corner of the room and each bed had its own clock (with alarm), light, tanoy speaker and little hanger for bits and pieces like a drink or book.

The top bunk felt very safe and definitely no chance of falling out. We really enjoyed this way of travelling as it meant we were all basically in together to chat and share food etc

Double bedroom cabins with private en suite

On the way back to Helsinki we opted for the more expensive cabins with private en suites.

These didn’t interconnect but we did have our own small bathroom with a loo and sink and there was also a shower in here.

These cabins were also on the top floor. As with the interconnecting rooms each bed had it’s own duvet and pillows supplied with the beds pre-made.

We had a bottle of water and two towels.

Facilities on board the Lapland to Helsinki train

Down the hallway from the cabins there was a small cafe that had a range of really good food including vegetarian and vegan options.

You could have a hot dinner here or pastries and coffee for breakfast.

What we thought of the Santa Express Lapland Night train

Taking the night train from Helsinki felt like a real adventure.

There was a buzz on the train station as the train pulled in and when we could see the Father Christmas logo on the side of the carriages.

There were lots of families and there was a real sense of comradery and that we were all on a really special voyage.

We have taken a number of trips to Lapland but this was our favorite way of getting there. It was also one of the cheapest and saved us the cost of two nights accommodation by being on the train. 

We never sleep perfectly on night trains, they roll in to stations and it’s just a different kind of experience but we absolutely love them and actually slept pretty well on this one.

There’s something about pulling up the blinds and watching the landscape of Lapland as you speed past. Small wooden cabins adorned with lights. Little glimpses into lives so different from our own.

We thought the cafe onboard was great and we picked up supplies before we travelled so we had plenty of snacks with us. It was really nice to be able to have a coffee in the morning.

For us we definitely preferred the interconnecting cabins. As a family it’s really nice to just all be in together.

While it’s handy having en suite facilities the bathrooms at the end of each hallway really were more than adequate and felt clean and well maintained.

I was worried about missing our stop, particularly as the Helsinki to Rovaniemi train was carrying on but there’s definitely no need to worry.

There are loud announcements and the train stops for a while so there’s no rush to scramble off.

Top tips for taking the Santa Express Night Train

• The trains are prompt and there’s no need to get there more than 30 minutes before. If you do though there are plenty of restaurants and cafes to enjoy there. 
• 0-10 year olds travel for free in your bed.
• Pack a bag just for the train and next morning so you can store your luggage away and not have to get it all out.
• The cabins were really warm so no need to dress particularly for the train but it was very cold (and dark) at Rovaniemi when we pulled in so you’ll want to be wrapped up then. 
• It’s good to take some things to do in the cabin if you’re travelling with kids. My 12 year old was teaching herself to knit which was the perfect onboard activity.
• There’s plenty of food to be bought on board but we found it useful to have snacks with us and a bag of cinnamon buns for the morning.
• You can also take a car with you on the train. There is a transport carriage to store cars for the journey.
• We had plenty of room in the cabin for our luggage but there’s a lockable storage space if you need more room.
• You can also take the night train from Helsinki to Kolari and Kemijärvi.
• There’s wifi internet on board which worked well.

Find out more and book your tickets on board here.

See our video onboard the Santa Express Helsinki to Rovaniemi train – the night train to Lapland

Planning a trip to Lapland? Check out our ultimate guide to Lapland which has packing lists, resort guides and lots of information and inspiration for your trip.