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City guide

Vaasa (Vasa), Finland

Vaasa, formerly (1855–1917) known as Nikolaistad, is a city in Finland and the regional capital of Ostrobothnia, located on the west coast of the country, on the Gulf of Bothnia. Vaasa city has approximately 71,000 inhabitants, while the Vaasa sub-region has a population of approximately 112,000.

Type CityPopulation 71,000

Why go

  • City in Ostrobothnia, Finland.
  • Served by Vaasa Airport (VAA).

History

Vaasa, formerly (1855–1917) known as Nikolaistad, is a city in Finland and the regional capital of Ostrobothnia, located on the west coast of the country, on the Gulf of Bothnia. Vaasa city has approximately 71,000 inhabitants, while the Vaasa sub-region has a population of approximately 112,000. It is the 14th-most populous municipality in Finland, and the tenth-most populous urban area in the country.

Airports

Vaasa Airport (VAA) 8.2 km to the centre
Vaasa, 12, FI — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 5 airlines (Air China, Finnair, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Scandinavian Airlines System…) · direct flights to 2 destinations incl. Stockholm, Helsinki (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 5 airlines, 2 direct destinations
  • Air China CA (ATR 72) · 1 route: Stockholm
  • Finnair AY (A319, A321) · 1 route: Helsinki
  • Norwegian Air Shuttle DY (737-800) · 1 route: Stockholm
  • Scandinavian Airlines System SK (ATR 72, S20) · 1 route: Stockholm*
  • Thai Airways International TG (S20) · 1 route: Stockholm*

Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Indoor
Seinäjoki Airport (SJY) 76 km to the centre
Seinäjoki / Ilmajoki, 03, FI — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day.
Indoor | Outdoor
Kauhajoki Airfield (KHJ) 80 km to the centre
Kauhajoki, 03, FI — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day.
Indoor | Outdoor
Nummijärvi Airfield 99 km to the centre
Nummijärvi, 03, FI
Outdoor

Getting there by ferry

Vaasa terminal
Ferry terminal · 4.1 km from the centre
Outdoor
Vaasa–Umeå
Ferry route · NLC Ferry
Outdoor

Where things are

Full geo-intelligence in Better Mapping →
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping base map © OSM

Photographs

Vaasa (Vasa), Finland
Vaasa (Vasa), Finland
credit: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons · See source page

When to go

Tourist season
May – September

The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.

Shoulder season
April, October

Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.

Worth avoiding
Deep winter

Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.

Getting there & around

Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Vaasa Airport (VAA); 3 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: VAA has direct flights to 2 destinations on 5 airlines (incl. Stockholm, Helsinki). By water: 1 ferry terminal within 20 km (nearest: Vaasa terminal, 4.1 km); routes include Vaasa–Umeå.

Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Vaasa (Vasa), Finland. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.

Local transit

Waltti - Vaasa
Public transit · Schedules & GTFS data

Trains & rail

VR
National rail

Private aviation

On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.

Air Charter Service
Broker · Any aircraft via operators worldwide · Global charter broker with 30+ offices; private jets, group charters and cargo.
ExecuJet
FBO, charter, management · Managed fleet · FBO network and management across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.
Flexjet
Fractional, jet card · Embraer Praetor, Bombardier Challenger & Global, Gulfstream · Fractional ownership and jet cards in North America and Europe.
Global Jet
Charter, management · Large-cabin & VIP airliners · Geneva-based operator known for large-cabin and VIP airliner charters.
Jet Aviation
Charter, management, FBO, MRO · Managed fleet worldwide · General Dynamics company: charter, completions and FBOs in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the US.