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Oct 26, 2026

Snowmobile trails in Finland: routes, tracks and who maintains them

When guests see the long, groomed lanes cutting through the forest on the way out of Rovaniemi, they often ask us who actually builds and looks after them. The honest answer is that “snowmobile trail” in Finland covers two quite different things, with different owners, different rules and different permits.

In this article we explain the difference using what the Finnish authorities themselves publish — Metsähallitus, its permit service Eräluvat and the transport agency Traficom — and then how it shows up on our own snowmobile activities around Rovaniemi.

In short: Finland has official snowmobile routes, which are roads under the Road Traffic Act and free to use, and snowmobile tracks, which are unofficial and maintained by Metsähallitus (the state’s land and water manager) and by municipalities. Driving on Metsähallitus tracks requires a personal, paid track permit. Anywhere off routes and tracks, you need the landowner’s permission. On a guided safari, the operator handles the permits — you do not need your own track permit.

At a glance

• From: 199 €
• Experience type: Snowmobiling tour
• Duration: 5 hours
• Difficulty: Easy
• Book in Advance: Cut off: 4 hours before start time
• Included: About 2 to 2,5 hours total driving time with the Snowmobile; Snowmobiling Equipments (Snowmobile, a Helmet, and a Balaclava); Detailed instructions on how to safely operate a snowmobile; A Tour Guide in English (other languages available on request: (Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, German & Finnish. PLEASE NOTE LIMITED AVAILABILITY FOR OTHER LANGUAGES) If another language is required. Please send us an email or WhatsApp after booking.); Winter clothing (Adult & Child size), overalls, boots, gloves; Local Food & Drinks by the open fire; Photos taken with your own device; Pick-ups and drop-offs are included in the price in 10 km radius from Rovaniemi city center; Air conditioned car
• Cancellation: Free cancellation 24 hours before the activity. We will charge a cancellation fee of 100% if booking is cancelled less than 24 hours before the activity.
• Accessibility: Not wheelchair accessible; Not stroller accessible

Official snowmobile routes: roads made of snow

The first category is the official snowmobile route. Metsähallitus states that “the official snowmobile routes are roads as defined in the Road Traffic Act and their use is thus free of charge”. Because they are legally roads, you do not buy a permit to drive on them — but the normal rules for drivers and vehicles apply.

According to Traficom, driving on official snowmobile routes and crossing roads requires a category T driving licence, the minimum age for a snowmobile driver is 15, and the snowmobile must be registered, carry a licence plate and have valid motor liability insurance. Driving a snowmobile on ordinary roads is prohibited in principle.

Snowmobile tracks: maintained by Metsähallitus and municipalities

The second category is the snowmobile track. These are unofficial routes, maintained by Metsähallitus and by municipalities. Metsähallitus says the tracks cover almost 20,000 kilometres in all, of which approximately 3,500 kilometres are tracks maintained by Metsähallitus itself. Responsibility can shift over time: Eräluvat notes, for example, that the snowmobile tracks in Kainuu are now maintained by the municipalities.

Along the tracks there are often campfire sites for a short break, which is part of why a day out on a snowmobile in Finland usually includes a stop by the fire.

The snowmobile track permit

Driving on Metsähallitus tracks is not free. In the words of Eräluvat, “the snowmobile tracks of Metsähallitus are subject to a charge and driving on them requires a track permit”. The permit is personal and valid nationwide on marked Metsähallitus tracks.

One practical detail matters every winter: tracks open when conditions allow, not on a fixed date. Eräluvat’s advice is that you may drive only on tracks that Metsähallitus has opened, so always check the current status before heading out.

Off the trails: the landowner decides

Outside official routes and tracks, the land belongs to someone. Traficom is clear that “to ride off routes and trails, you need the landowner’s or landholder’s permission”. Metsähallitus adds a principle that applies everywhere: each snowmobile rider is responsible for making sure the machine does not harm nature or other people moving in it.

That is why private land matters so much to safari operators. Where a family owns the forest, it can agree on its own trails and look after them itself.

Speed limits and safety rules on Finnish trails

Traficom lists the key limits every driver should know:

• 60 km/h maximum in the terrain on land
• 80 km/h on ice-covered water, but only 60 km/h on snowmobile routes running across ice
• 40 km/h when crossing roads and bridges
• 40 km/h when pulling a sled with passengers
• At most one passenger on the seat, and only if the snowmobile has a proper seat; driver and passenger both wear helmets

Drink-driving limits are the same as on the road. On a guided safari the guide sets the pace for the whole group, well within these limits.

How guided safaris fit into the system

Commercial safaris have their own permit route. Eräluvat explains that a safari operator using Metsähallitus land needs a safari consent or track agreement with Metsähallitus for the track in question, plus a safari-specific off-road permit obtained by submitting a safari notification. That notification “serves as an off-road traffic permit for both group guides and customers”, and each safari must have its own permit.

For you as a guest this means one simple thing: on a guided safari you do not need to buy a personal track permit. The operator deals with the paperwork; you deal with the throttle.

How this shows up on our tours

We run three quite different kinds of snowmobile outing around Rovaniemi, and the trail setting is a big part of the difference:

• Wilderness Snowmobile Safari — from 199 €, 5 hours, with about 2 to 2,5 hours of driving in total and a lunch stop by an open fire in the middle of the day. This is the one for people who want real distance.
• Arctic Snowmobile Tour on Private Trails — from 99 €, 3 hours, with about 1 hour of driving. The ride goes from main roads to smaller and smaller ones until you reach a snowmobile base owned by the family, by a frozen lake.
• Frozen Trails: 1-Hour Snowmobile Ride at Lapland Winter Park — from 99 €, about 45 minutes of driving on the hill and forest trails of Lapland Winter Park. This one has no pick-up; you meet us at the park.

On all three you get detailed instructions on how to drive safely before setting off, a helmet and winter clothing. To drive you must be 18 or older and hold a driving licence; passengers do not need one. Children shorter than 140 cm ride in a sled pulled by the guide’s snowmobile. Our temperature limit is -35 °C, and -25 °C for small children. Maximum self-liability for the snowmobile is 900 €, which you can reduce to 250 € with a 25 € waiver.

For a wider look at the formats, see our guide to snowmobile tours in Rovaniemi. Our book-early winter code excludes only husky and reindeer tours, so it can be used on snowmobile tours — our book-early code explainer has the dates and details.

Frequently asked questions

Who maintains snowmobile trails in Finland?

Official snowmobile routes are roads under the Road Traffic Act. Unofficial snowmobile tracks are maintained by Metsähallitus and by municipalities; Metsähallitus maintains roughly 3,500 km of them itself.

Do I need a permit to drive on snowmobile trails in Finland?

Official snowmobile routes are free to use. Metsähallitus tracks require a personal, paid track permit. Off routes and tracks you need the landowner’s permission.

Do I need a track permit on a StayLapland safari?

No. On a guided safari the operator arranges the permits; according to Eräluvat, the safari notification serves as the off-road permit for both guides and customers.

What licence do I need to drive on your snowmobile tours?

To drive one of our snowmobiles you must be 18 or older and have a driving licence. Passengers, including twin-drive passengers and children in the sled, do not need one.

How fast can snowmobiles go on Finnish trails?

According to Traficom, 60 km/h in the terrain, 80 km/h on ice (60 km/h on routes across ice) and 40 km/h when pulling a sled with passengers or crossing roads.

Which of your snowmobile tours has the most trail time?

The Wilderness Snowmobile Safari, with about 2 to 2,5 hours of driving in a 5-hour day, including a lunch stop by the fire.

Ready to book?

You may also like

• Arctic Snowmobile Tour on Private Trails — from 99 €, 3 hours
• Frozen Trails: 1-Hour Snowmobile Ride at Lapland Winter Park — from 99 €, 1 hour 30 minutes

Sources

• Metsähallitus — Snowmobiling
• Eräluvat — Snowmobile routes and tracks
• Eräluvat — Safaris and sled transports
• Traficom — Snowmobiler, do you know the rules?