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Last modified 25 June 2002

Driving from Kiruna to Sodankylä

(Road) Construction Area, comments/additions welcome!

Leaving Kiruna drive south-east 48 km on E10 (also called 98) to Svappavarra; turn left and go east 27 km to Vitangi on highway 88. In Vitangi turn right at the junction marked (left)=Karesuando and (right)=Pajala and follow it all the way (110 km) to Pajala. There are two possibilities to turn left in Pajala marked "to Finland", both work. Follow highway 403 to the border in 25 km near Kolari. NOTE if you are following this guide from Sodankylä to Kiruna the border on the Finish side is not marked "Sweden" or even "Sverige" but "Ruotsi"! It is considerably harder to find also, so if you plan to come back the same route, look behind you and remember how to get there.

Then there are several choices of route to Kittila, but the countryside is pretty much the same on all of them. The shortest is to turn left on E78 in Kolari and go about 2 km north, then turn right on 939 and follow it through Kurtakko to Kaukonen, about 56 km. Then go left on 79 to Kittila another 19 km. Here you turn right on 953 to Sodankylä (86 km), as indicated in the instructions for driving from Tromsø to Sodankylä.

Note that you turn left on E75 and go about 1 km into Sodankylä town, then turn right following the airport (Lentoasema) signs. Pass the airport and continue south a few km to the Tahtela sign, where you turn right into the Observatory grounds. (Eiscat is on the left)