Raseborg

Raseborg (Finnish: Raasepori) is a municipality of 27,000 people (2021) covering a few towns and a large rural area in western Uusimaa. It is home to a medieval castle and large archipelagos.

Understand


Raseborg was created in 2009 by consolidating the municipalities of Ekenäs, Karis and Pohja, reaching from the archipelago west of the Hanko peninsula (Hangö udd, Hankoniemi) to that east of it, into a single one. The majority (66%) of the population speaks Swedish. A medieval castle of Raseborg located in the former municipality Snappertuna gives name to the new municipality.



Get in
The municipality is at the base of the Hanko Peninsula, south of Salo, which is on the Helsinki–Turku highway (Highway 1, E18), south-west of Lohja, likewise on that highway, and north of Hanko. The municipality includes most of the archipelago east of the peninsula, bordering that of Ingå, and some to the west, bordering that of Kimitoön and Salo. The towns are on the mainland; even Bromarv and Padva are nowadays connected to it.

The historic King's Road between Turku and Vyborg via Helsinki) does pass through Raseborg.

By car
Karis, about 80 km west from Helsinki, can be reached by road 51 from the capital via Ingå. After another 20 km along road 25 from Lohja towards Hanko you will arrive in Ekenäs.

From Turku you can come via E18: turn to road 52 towards Ekenäs in Salo. For Karis, turn from road 52 to road 111 near Tenala and drive via Pojo. For Bromarv, drive south-west from Tenala. The distance from Turku to Ekenäs is about 115 km.

By train
Karis is a railway junction, on the Kustbanan railway between Helsinki and Turku and on the railways from Hanko and Hyvinkää (no passenger trains from Hyvinkää, though). See VR

From time to time some of Helsinki's commuter trains have extended to Karis. There has been a political pressure to restart those services and a regional service via Karis to Hanko is planned, but as of March 2024 you mostly need to take the bus if coming from Kirkkonummi or Siuntio (or backtrack to Leppävaara in Espoo, where all long-distance trains stop).

By bus
There are some coaches from Helsinki, Lohja and Hanko, some going all the way to Bromarv. See Matkahuolto.

By boat
The fairways between Helsinki and the Archipelago Sea pass through the archipelago of Ekenäs. Pojo is in the narrow bay stretching inland from Ekenäs. Tenala and Bromarv are archipelago municipalities north of the Hanko peninsula. Karis is inland. The guest harbour of Ekenäs is popular.

Get around
Karis and Ekenäs are connected by rail and bus. Some of the coach services from the east continue from Karis to Bromarv. From Karis you can also take the regular 20 minute bus service to Fiskars around the year. Each place is small enough to be explored on foot comfortably.

The centre of Karis is opposite (north of) the train station. A tunnel leads to platforms 3–6, with one end at the railway station (with the station building nowadays a pub), the other at the "travel centre" consisting of a few bus platforms (and a taxi stand?). Behind the travel centre is the town centre; Köpmansgatan, which is the shopping street, starts slightly to the left, the supermarkets are to the right, where also the bridge over the railways lead.

For a walk in a residential area of Karis, with villas and gardens, the Svartån river and Pumpviken park, walk half a kilometre east (to the right) from the centre, e.g. along Centralgatan or Högbergsgatan. The ridge behind the station is Lojoåsen (Lohjanharju), part of the Salpausselkä terminal moraine left by the Ice Age, separating the Finnish Lakeland from the Gulf of Finland and continuing as the Hanko peninsula to the south-west.

By bus
Bosse is the name of Raseborg's local transport. The Bosse route planner can be used for bus trips.

By bike
There is a cycleway between Karis and Ekenäs.

Raseborg has Donkey Republic bike sharing bikes at six stations: in Ekenäs at the railway station, the marina and either Novia (during school terms) or restaurant Knipan (in summer); in Karis at the travel centre (the bus platforms opposite the railway station); and in Billnäs and Fiskars. Using the bike requires an app, which allows using such bikes also in several other towns in Finland and abroad (the company is Danish). See more information from Visit Raseborg.

By taxi
See Uusimaa for information about other companies.


 * Smartphone apps: Valopilkku, 02 Taksi
 * Smartphone apps: Valopilkku, 02 Taksi
 * Smartphone apps: Valopilkku, 02 Taksi

See




Do

 * Football: Ekenäs IF were promoted in 2023 so they play soccer in Veikkausliiga, the top tier. Their home ground Centrumplan (capacity 1900) is in Ekenäs town centre. The playing season is April-Oct.
 * Football: Ekenäs IF were promoted in 2023 so they play soccer in Veikkausliiga, the top tier. Their home ground Centrumplan (capacity 1900) is in Ekenäs town centre. The playing season is April-Oct.
 * Football: Ekenäs IF were promoted in 2023 so they play soccer in Veikkausliiga, the top tier. Their home ground Centrumplan (capacity 1900) is in Ekenäs town centre. The playing season is April-Oct.
 * Football: Ekenäs IF were promoted in 2023 so they play soccer in Veikkausliiga, the top tier. Their home ground Centrumplan (capacity 1900) is in Ekenäs town centre. The playing season is April-Oct.

Events




In Ekenäs




In Fiskars
Shops in Fiskars sell design, artworks, modern industrial products of known Finnish brands, art and utility glass products, metal wares, clothing, jewellery, ceramics, leather goods, fair trade world products, furniture, handicrafts, artisan beers, graphics and chocolate. There is also a small convenience store,.



In Karis
See Get around above. Supermarkets and a pedestrian shopping street with a basic supply. The small second-hand shop near the travel centre might have some nice souvenirs.

In Karis
A number of cheap pizzerias and a couple of real restaurants. Lunch also at most cafés.



Stay safe
In emergencies, call 112.



Go next

 * Port, marina and sunbathing city of Hanko is reachable by half-an-hour rail link from Karis railway station or by taking Main Road 25 south-west. From Hanko Port there is car and cargo ferry connection to Nynäshamn, Sweden.
 * For history fans, travel east or west along the King's Road
 * Lohja to the north-east on the Main Road 25