Car & Van Hire in Espoo

Despite being part of the Greater Helsinki area, Espoo has its own history and identity, with plenty of museums and attractions. Espoo takes its name from Swedish, probably after colonisation in the 12th century. However, the history of Espoo is far older, with evidence of hunter-gatherers in pre-history through to the Stone Age Tavastians tribe that settled in the region.

Espoo Cathedral is the oldest surviving building in the city. Built in the 15th century, the church boasts an original granite exterior and important frescoes inside. While no other medieval buildings survive in current-day Espoo, there are several estates and manor houses dating from the era of Gustav Vasa, the King of Sweden who sought to develop the region. These include the Royal Manor in Espoo, a 16th-century estate that was rebuilt in the 18th century. To reach the mansion, you have to cross the country's oldest stone vault bridge.

Espoo's museums span modern art and cultural history. At the Glims Farmstead Museum, you can learn about rural life in the past and explore buildings dating from the 18th century. Espoo's museum quarter (WeeGee) on Ahertajantie contains Espoo Museum of Modern Art, Espoo City Museum, Museum Leikki and Futuro House, a futuristic, pre-fab house designed by Matti Suuronen from the 1960s.

Espoo offers a broad range of retail therapy options and many shopping centres. In Tapiola, you'll find AINOA, Heikintori and Länsituuli, three neighbouring shopping malls with fashion, fitness, dining and more. The large Sello Shopping Centre in Leppävaara is another favourite, offering over 170 stores with 30 restaurants and ample parking. In Matinkylä, you'll also find Iso Omena, home to over 220 stores and a cinema complex.

A car or van hire in Espoo is a great way to explore the region while staying connected to Finland's capital, Helsinki. Finland is beloved for its hiking, sailing, biking and fishing opportunities, which are all easily accessed from metropolitan areas like Espoo. The advantage of driving offers access to the beauty of Nuuksio National Park, a stunning region of lakes and forests just 13 km from Espoo's centre. You can also explore further-away wildernesses like Liesjärvi National Park, 80 km north, and Ekenäs Archipelago National Park, 90 km west along the coast.

As Finland's second-largest city after Helsinki, Espoo is well-connected both to the capital and surrounding settlements with both local and long-distance roads. Several highways, including Finland's most comprehensive motorway system, are built around the city. These allow for convenient access both to and around Helsinki either by the Valtatie 1 or the Kehä III, a ring road that bypasses Helsinki.

Finland's motorway system is located exclusively in its more populous south. Largely consisting of three-lane dual carriageways, these provide links to Turku, Tampere, Lahti and Kotka, as well as to Helsinki. All are conveniently accessed from Espoo at Karvasmäki, an intersection connecting Valtatie 1 with the Kehä III (E18).

Aside from designated motorways, a network of roads is accessible, which includes highways to major cities (valtatiet) and regional centres (kantatiet), as well as regional roads (seututiet), which are popular on scenic drives. Most highways operate both mobile and static speed cameras, so ensure you're always driving at the specified speed.

In general, speed limits in Finland are 30 km/h in residential areas, 40 km/h in built-up areas, 50 to 60 km/h on larger streets and up to 80 km/h on rural roads and single-carriageways. You'll see this same variety of limits in Espoo, including some 20 km/h zones close to hospitals and schools. On motorways, limits can reach 120 km/h. Remember, there are seasonal limits due to icy conditions of 100 km/h on motorways in winter.

Parking in Espoo is relatively straightforward. Multiple car parks are in operation throughout the city, including at business addresses and designated city lots. The city even has the country's largest underground parking space at Tapiola. You'll find plenty of mobile-pay parking spots operated by companies like ParkMan. Download the app for convenient payment. Free on-street parking is also possible but limited. Espoo generally operates parking discs for on-street parking which must be displayed in the vehicle's window.

Driving in Espoo is generally less busy than in Helsinki but still subject to rush hour traffic. Try to avoid driving during peak times from 06:00 to 09:00 or 16:00 to 17:30, particularly on major roads. It should be noted that vehicles are driven on the right-hand side of the road in Finland and all neighbouring countries. Seat belts must also be worn at all times, and mobile devices should not be accessed. Finally, there are no toll roads in Finland, making car hire in Espoo convenient.