Hello,
I hope this topic hasn't been beaten to death, but here goes...
I'm going to the Neste Rally from the 30th to the 3rd of August and all the hotels are booked in Jyvaskyla. I don't have a problem booking outside the city and traveling, but I would like to refrain from renting a car and just taking the bus or train.
Can someone advise of a good place to stay around here for relatively cheap? I've never been to Finland but want to make the best of my trip. I may leave the rally area early and visit other parts as well and have been using visitfinland.com to get some ideas. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated....I'm mainly going to the rally to take photos.
Also, does someone know how to navigate around to different parts of the rally? I have perused their Neste Rally site but they don't have much to offer in this regard.
Cheers,
Keith
Going to the Neste Rally
-
Karhunkoski
- Posts: 7034
- Joined: Mon Sep 25, 2006 1:44 pm
- Location: Keski-Suomi
Re: Going to the Neste Rally
Hi Keith
the rally is spread out over quite a large area, with many of the stages starting and finishing in the middle of nowhere. I'm not saying it's impossible to get around on the bus - just that I've never heard of anyone managing it. As for the train. doubtful I'm afraid. In the past we have donned boots and walked to some of the stages, if you are handy with a map and comfortable in the forest, this could be an option to bridge the distance from bus stop to stage.
As for general planning, did you find the route maps on the official rally site, let me know if not and I can help (one top tip is that the best info is often found under "competitors" rather than "spectators", but they don't tell you that). Once you find the stages you want to do, check out www.matkahuolto.fi for bus service timetables (you can change the language to English).
Accommodation is probably going to be your biggest problem. The teams book the hotel beds on an annual basis. Many groups of guys will hire a summer cottage, but as these are often behind god's back, a car is generally needed. I honestly can't think of any other options. If I was a single guy doing it, I would consider a backpack and sleeping bag, buy the local outdoor maps and try to bunk up in one or more of the huts/cabins that are sprinkled in some parts of Finnish nature (for the use of hikers). They all have a fireplace, an outside bog and a woodshed. They are very rustic, little more than a shed. But again this takes plenty of research and planning.
If I'm honest, it's rather late doors to be planning the trip. However, if you have any specific questions, fire them my way and I will try my best.
the rally is spread out over quite a large area, with many of the stages starting and finishing in the middle of nowhere. I'm not saying it's impossible to get around on the bus - just that I've never heard of anyone managing it. As for the train. doubtful I'm afraid. In the past we have donned boots and walked to some of the stages, if you are handy with a map and comfortable in the forest, this could be an option to bridge the distance from bus stop to stage.
As for general planning, did you find the route maps on the official rally site, let me know if not and I can help (one top tip is that the best info is often found under "competitors" rather than "spectators", but they don't tell you that). Once you find the stages you want to do, check out www.matkahuolto.fi for bus service timetables (you can change the language to English).
Accommodation is probably going to be your biggest problem. The teams book the hotel beds on an annual basis. Many groups of guys will hire a summer cottage, but as these are often behind god's back, a car is generally needed. I honestly can't think of any other options. If I was a single guy doing it, I would consider a backpack and sleeping bag, buy the local outdoor maps and try to bunk up in one or more of the huts/cabins that are sprinkled in some parts of Finnish nature (for the use of hikers). They all have a fireplace, an outside bog and a woodshed. They are very rustic, little more than a shed. But again this takes plenty of research and planning.
If I'm honest, it's rather late doors to be planning the trip. However, if you have any specific questions, fire them my way and I will try my best.
Political correctness is the belief that it's possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.