Raseborg

Understand

Raseborg was created in 2009 by consolidating the municipalities of Ekenäs, Karis and Pohja, reaching from the archipelago west of the Hanko peninsula (Hangö udd; Hankoniemi) to that east of it, into a single one. The majority (66%) of the population speaks Swedish. The medieval castle of Raseborg located in the former municipality Snappertuna gives name to the new municipality.

1 Bromarv (former parish village 16 km west from Tenala). Former municipality in the western archipelago. 2 Ekenäs (Tammisaari). Ekenäs is a coastal town at the edge of an archipelago, part of which is the Ekenäs Archipelago National Park. It has a pretty old town consisting of narrow streets of wooden houses. Ekenäs guest marina is large for the size of the town and known for its beauty and good location adjacent to city centre. 3 Karis (Karjaa). Karis is a town and railway junction on the Helsinki–Turku and the Hanko–Hyvinkää line, hub for many of the connections. 4 Pojo (Pohja). Pojo is one of the birthplaces of Finnish metal industry. The ironworks of Billnäs was founded there around the same time as Fiskars ironworks. 5 Snappertuna (former parish village 11 km south from Karis; 16 km east from Ekenäs). Former municipality. (updated Nov 2022) 6 Tenala (Tenhola) (former parish village 13 km north from Ekenäs; 14 km west from Pojo). Former municipality. (updated Jun 2022) 7 Fiskars Village. Fiskars is known as an idyllic artisanal village destination, and location of the historic Fiskars ironworks. It is a centre of art and industrial and non-industrial design a 20-minute bus ride north of Karis. Fiskars Corporation, the oldest functioning Finnish company, was founded around the Fiskars ironworks in the 17th century. It has places to stay and dine around the year if you can afford to splurge. There are things to see – and to buy. 8 Jussarö (Jussaari). The only Finnish ghost town, 18 km south of Ekenäs, off the coast. Guest marina by the Hanko–Helsinki leg. A water bus service to Juss

Getting there

The municipality is at the base of the Hanko Peninsula, south of Salo, which is on the Helsinki–Turku highway (Highway 1; E18), south-west of Lohja, likewise on that highway, and north of Hanko. The municipality includes most of the archipelago east of the peninsula, bordering that of Ingå, and some to the west, bordering that of Kimitoön and Salo. The towns are on the mainland; even Bromarv and Padva are nowadays connected to it. The historic King's Road between Turku and Vyborg via Helsinki) does pass through Raseborg.

By car Karis, about 80 km west from Helsinki, can be reached by road 51 from the capital via Ingå. After another 20 km along road 25 from Lohja towards Hanko you will arrive in Ekenäs. From Turku you can come via E18: turn to road 52 towards Ekenäs in Salo. For Karis, turn from road 52 to road 111 near Tenala and drive via Pojo. For Bromarv, drive south-west from Tenala. The distance from Turku to Ekenäs is about 115 km.

By train Karis is a railway junction, on the Kustbanan railway between Helsinki and Turku (with mostly hourly trains from early morning to late night) and on the railways from Hanko and Hyvinkää (replaced by buses 23 June–27 July 2025 and similarly in 2026; because of railway works). There have been no passenger trains from Hyvinkää, but a thrice-weekly regional day-trip train Riihimäki–Hanko (via Karis) runs in midsummer of 2026, while the Turku–Helsinki railway is closed. See VR. There is a commuter train from Helsinki to Karis and onward via Ekenäs to Hanko (tickets available from HSL or VR) – a few times a week. As of spring 2026, the services are sparse and you still mostly need to take the bus if coming from Kirkkonummi, Siuntio or Ingå (or backtrack to Leppävaara in Espoo; where all long-distance trains stop). For most of the summer, the rail leg between Helsinki and Kirkkonummi is closed for increasing its capacity, and you need to use replacement buses or come via Riihimäki.

By bus There are some coaches from Hels

Getting around

Karis and Ekenäs are connected by rail and bus. Some of the coach services from the east continue from Karis to Bromarv. From Karis you can also take the regular 20 minute bus service to Fiskars around the year. Each place is small enough to be explored on foot comfortably. The centre of Karis is opposite (north of) the train station. A tunnel leads to platforms 3–6, with one end at the railway station (with the station building nowadays a pub), the other at the "travel centre" consisting of a few bus platforms (and a taxi stand?). Behind the travel centre is the town centre; Köpmansgatan, which is the shopping street, starts slightly to the left, the supermarkets are to the right, where also the bridge over the railways lead. For a walk in a residential area of Karis, with villas and gardens, the Svartån river and Pumpviken park, walk half a kilometre east (to the right) from the centre, e.g. along Centralgatan or Högbergsgatan. The ridge behind the station is Lojoåsen (Lohjanharju), part of the Salpausselkä terminal moraine left by the Ice Age, separating the Finnish Lakeland from the Gulf of Finland and continuing as the Hanko peninsula to the south-west.

By bus Bosse is the name of Raseborg's local transport. The Bosse route planner can be used for bus trips.

By bike There is a cycleway between Karis and Ekenäs. Raseborg has Donkey Republic bike sharing bikes at six stations: in Ekenäs at the railway station, the marina and either Novia (during school terms) or restaurant Knipan (in summer); in Karis at the travel centre (the bus platforms opposite the railway station); and in Billnäs and Fiskars. Using the bike requires an app, which allows using such bikes also in several other towns in Finland and abroad (the company is Danish). See more information from Visit Raseborg (☏ +358 44-716-0644).

By taxi See Uusimaa#By taxi for information about other companies.

Raseborgs taxi och buss, Sparvgränd 5 B, Dragsvik (office), ☏ +358 45-128-3949, office@pikapo

See

1 Raseborg castle ruins, Raseborgs slottsväg 110 (Snappertuna), ☏ +358 50-597-0802, [email protected]. May Su Sa 10:00–17:00; 1 Jun–Midsummer: 10:00–17:00; Midsummer–31 June 10:00–19:00; July–Aug daily 10:00–19:00; Sep Su Sa 11:00–17:00; other times groups by agreement. A pretty medieval castle (from 14th century). It was built near the sea shore, but due the post-glacial rise of land, it eventually lost its access to the sea and therefore also its strategic importance. Guided tours more or less weekly and on advance request (ask for English on booking; or the guide on public tours). Café Slottsknektens stuga (The Castle Guard's Lodge) near the ruin was open already in 1893 to serve tourists. Apart from offering refreshments (in season; hours somewhat shorter than the castle's), it sells tickets to the castle and provides local information. A beautiful forest path, Kärleksstigen (Lovers’ Walk), leads from the castle ruins to the folk museum "Snappertuna Forngård". Adult €8, childr