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    Which countries border Finland?

    Land neighbours, sea neighbours and which borders you can cross today.

    Answered at: Checked at:

    Short answer

    Finland shares land borders with three countries: Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east. Estonia is a sea neighbour across the Gulf of Finland, about two hours from Helsinki by ferry. The borders with Sweden and Norway are open Schengen borders, while all land crossing points to Russia have been closed since 15 December 2023.

    Visas and Entry Regulations (Schengen)

    Why

    1. The Finnish Government says the land border crossing points between Finland and Russia have been closed since 15 December 2023.
    2. On 4 June 2026 the government decided to keep the crossing points closed until further notice.
    3. Sweden and Norway, like Finland, belong to the Schengen area, so there are no regular checks at those borders.

    Details

    Finland's eastern border is also the longest external border of the EU and NATO with Russia, according to the Finnish Government.

    Tip

    To travel overland to the north of Norway or Sweden, use the road crossings in Lapland, such as Tornio and Haparanda or Karigasniemi.

    What may differ

    Ferries also link Finland with Sweden, Estonia and Germany, so many visitors arrive by sea rather than by land.

    Common misconception

    You can drive from Finland into Russia at Vaalimaa as before.

    What actually happens

    Vaalimaa and the other Russian land crossings are closed until further notice by the government's decision.

    People also ask

    • Does Finland border Russia?
    • What countries does Finland border?
    • Which country borders both Sweden and Finland?

    Sources

    This answer is for reference only. Entry rules can change, so check the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland and the Finnish Border Guard before you travel.

    Visas and Entry Regulations (Schengen)
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