Kotka

Kotka is the southeasternmost major city in Finland, an important port at the mouth of the Kymi river (Kymenjoki). It is part of the Kymenlaakso region. The port town heritage and associated folklore is central for its identity. The Maritime Museum of Finland is located here.

Understand
The municipality has a population of around 52,000 (2020) and much of its area is made up of water. The name comes from the island Kotkansaari ("eagle island"), where the town was built and were most of its centre still lies. The former parish village Karhula, now a kind of a second centre with a number of shopping malls, is a few kilometres to the north, crossed by the E18 motorway.

History
In medieval times, the rich fishing around the river mouth attracted people from elsewhere to settle here: mainly Tavastians, but also Savonians, Karelians and even Swedish, when the Vyborg (Viipuri/Viborg) castle had been built in 1293 and thereby Swedish rule had been established.

The Russian border moved west to the Kymi river in 1743, and after the Svensksund battle 1790 Russia built a fortress on the islands. The fortress sustained a mostly Russian population of some 8,000 – a major town at the time. When all Finland became a Russian grand duchy the fortress lost its importance; most of the fortress was destroyed in 1855, during the Crimean War, by a French-Brittish navy.

In the 1870s a strong sawmill industry developed, thanks to log driving along the Kymi river. One of the sawmills had a Norwegian owner and many Norwegians in the workforce. 1879 Kotka became a chartered town. The streets were laid out according to those of the former fortress town. 1890 Kotka got railway and its role as the main city of the area was cemented.

In 1907, the Second All-Russian Conference of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party was held in the city.

Historically the city had a substantial Swedish-speaking population, which declined during the 20th century, and today approximately 96% of the municipality's inhabitants are native Finnish speakers, only 1% native Swedish speakers (but there is still a Swedish school). The city's long history of industrialization is evident; paper and pulp mills have remained an important part of the regional economy.

By train
Acceptably quick local trains connect Kotka to Kouvola and Lahti where you can change trains to get to Helsinki and elsewhere.



By car
Route E18 connects Kotka to Helsinki, Hamina and Saint Petersburg. Also highway 15 connects Kotka to Kouvola.

By bus
There are frequent coach connections to Helsinki and other cities including Saint Petersburg in Russia. See Matkahuolto and Onnibus for the domestic services. Some bus routes, especially those which come from Lappeenranta and Russia and go towards Helsinki stop only at Karhula which is about 9 km away from Kotka center, local transport is available to travel between Karhula and Kotka center.

Coming via Tallinn or Stockholm, there may be a coach connection with arranged transfer from the port, mostly via Kamppi.

Services from Saint Petersburg are operated by Lux Express and Transgold.

Get around
The centre of the city, the island Kotkansaari, is small enough to get around by feet. However if you need to go to other parts of the city, bus, taxi or a hire car may be more convenient.

By bus
Check bus schedules from kotkanaikataulut.fi. You can use the route planner to seek local bus routes between given locations and addresses. Waltti mobile app can be used for ticket purchase. Matkahuolto Routes and Tickets app is able to first plan the route and after it sell the right ticket for it.

Asiointitaksi is a service open to everyone that complements public transport. The customer only pays the price of the bus ticket and the taxi route enables weekly transport, for example to the market. The trip is ordered from the driver no later than the previous day and can be picked up from any route where it is safe to stop the car. The car can also make a small deviation from the route and pick up the customer closer to home.

By bike
There is a bike sharing system using bluetooth and the Donkey Republic about €1.50/1 hr, €4/5 hr, €12/24 hr. For longer stays becoming a member is cheaper: €9 or €18/month covers all trips of less than 1 hr respectively 12 hr, also in other towns using Donkey Republic – but you need to register as member in the country of your card (available: most countries in western Europe and USA). Customer service info@kaakau.fi@undefined, daily 09:00–21:00. Several towns in south-east Finland use the same system, which is in use also elsewhere in Finland and abroad.

By taxi
You can call a taxi from number.
 * Smartphone apps: Valopilkku, 02 Taksi, Menevä, Taksini

See




Do

 * Football: KTP (Kotkan Työväen Palloilijat) were relegated in 2023, so they now play soccer in Ykkönen the second tier. Their home ground Arto Tolsa Areena (capacity 4800) is 1 km south of town centre. The playing season is April-Oct.
 * Football: KTP (Kotkan Työväen Palloilijat) were relegated in 2023, so they now play soccer in Ykkönen the second tier. Their home ground Arto Tolsa Areena (capacity 4800) is 1 km south of town centre. The playing season is April-Oct.
 * Football: KTP (Kotkan Työväen Palloilijat) were relegated in 2023, so they now play soccer in Ykkönen the second tier. Their home ground Arto Tolsa Areena (capacity 4800) is 1 km south of town centre. The playing season is April-Oct.
 * Football: KTP (Kotkan Työväen Palloilijat) were relegated in 2023, so they now play soccer in Ykkönen the second tier. Their home ground Arto Tolsa Areena (capacity 4800) is 1 km south of town centre. The playing season is April-Oct.
 * Football: KTP (Kotkan Työväen Palloilijat) were relegated in 2023, so they now play soccer in Ykkönen the second tier. Their home ground Arto Tolsa Areena (capacity 4800) is 1 km south of town centre. The playing season is April-Oct.
 * Football: KTP (Kotkan Työväen Palloilijat) were relegated in 2023, so they now play soccer in Ykkönen the second tier. Their home ground Arto Tolsa Areena (capacity 4800) is 1 km south of town centre. The playing season is April-Oct.

Eat
There is a list of lunch offers for each day.

Budget
Cheap places to eat include:

Stay safe
You can go more or less anywhere in Kotka any time of the day. Although Kotka has its share of violence and drug use, violent crime happens mostly between addicts and criminals themselves. Robbings are very uncommon.

You might want to avoid jumping a line anywhere during the night, particularly at Finnish hot dog stands ("nakkikioski"). Drunken fights are not unheard-of.

Go next

 * Hamina — A historical fortress town, the easternmost sea port in Finland.
 * Kouvola - The other big city in Kymenlaakso, best known as an industrial city and railway node.
 * Russia — If you have a valid visa, the Russian border isn't far away.