Guide
In short: a car-free holiday in Levi works well if you stay within walking distance of the shops and lifts, and choose activities that include a pickup or start nearby. Further from the village, a car or arranged rides make everyday life much easier.
Many visitors fly to Levi and wonder whether they’ll need a car once they’re here. The answer depends on two things: where you stay, and what you plan to do. This guide helps you work out whether a car-free trip suits you – and where it’s easiest.
The nearest airport is Kittilä. From there:
Utsuvaara can only be reached from the airport by taxi or car, as the airport bus goes to the village.
Prices are indicative (October 2026) and bus timetables change with the seasons, so check the latest information on Finavia’s Kittilä Airport pages (finavia.fi) and on Levi’s official site (levi.fi). We’re also happy to help you arrange transfers. If you prefer the train, the nearest station is Kolari, about 80 km from Levi.
Without a car, location is almost everything. With the supermarket, restaurants and lifts a walk away, you can plan the day freely: slopes in the morning, shopping in the afternoon, dinner out in the evening – no rides to organise.
Further from the centre a car-free trip is still possible, but it takes more planning. Utsuvaara, for example, is about 8 km from the village. The slope may start at your door, but you’ll need a ride for groceries and restaurants. Our guide Utsuvaara or Levi centre compares the two areas.
When you stay close to the village, everyday errands are a short walk. A few tips:
Getting around on foot in a Lapland winter is easy with the right kit.
Cold. Winter temperatures are typically between −5 and −25 °C, and in the coldest spells it can drop below −30 °C. Even a short walk feels longer in hard frost, so dress in layers.
Ice. Slip-on ice grips for your shoes make icy roads much safer.
Darkness. Around midwinter, daylight is short. A reflector and a head torch are useful, even on the edges of the village.
Carrying gear. Skis, poles and boots are easiest when everyone carries their own. After a long ski day, a short walk home is a real advantage.
With children. The same distance takes longer with little ones, and a sledge is a practical helper for many families. More tips in our guide to staying in Levi with children.
Many activity providers, such as safari and tour companies, offer a pickup from your accommodation or an agreed meeting point. Practices vary, so check when booking whether a pickup is included and where it happens. We’re happy to tell you what’s available for your dates and help with bookings. For ideas, see Levi all year round.
A rental car makes sense if you
A middle way works for many people too: a car-free holiday with a rental car for one or two day trips.
Sointuilevi Central is a 57 m² log-built holiday apartment in Nuottirakka, Levi. Restaurants and shops are about 500 m away – around a five-minute walk – and the front-slope lifts in Levi village about 700 m, roughly seven minutes on foot. It has two bedrooms, a private sauna, a fireplace, a terrace, a washing machine and a drying cabinet, and sleeps up to six. Two lift passes are included in winter-season bookings, and everyone staying can take turns using them.
The apartment sits on the quiet forest side, so you get both the village and the stillness. And if you do arrive by car, there’s parking.
Check the available dates and book directly with us – or ask, and we’ll help you plan your transfers.
Stay with us
Levi village · 500 m
A light-filled, log-built holiday apartment in Nuottirakka, a short walk from restaurants, shops and the slopes. Private sauna and terrace for up to six.
FAQ
Not necessarily. If you stay near the village centre, shops, restaurants and lifts are within walking distance. Further out, a car or arranged rides make getting around much easier.
Take the airport bus to Levi village or a taxi (roughly €60). From the village it's less than a kilometre's walk to Sointuilevi Central. Check the bus timetables on the airport's or Levi's official websites, or ask us.
Restaurants and shops are about 500 m away – around a five-minute walk – and the front-slope lifts in Levi village about 700 m, around seven minutes on foot.
Yes, by taxi – it's about 8 km. From the airport, too, Utsuvaara can only be reached by taxi or car, so if you want to be in the village every day without a car, staying near the centre is the easier choice.
More guides
A side-by-side look at two ways to stay in Levi: the calm of the fell with the slope close by, or the village within walking distance.
What ski-in/ski-out means day to day, who Utsuvaara's location suits and how to make ski days run smoothly.
What to check in a holiday apartment with a baby, toddler or school-age kids – and which location suits your family.