The Apps You Actually Need in Lapland (and Which Aurora App Works)
Updated 3 November 2026.
Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you book through them, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend services I genuinely trust for Lapland travel.
Five apps cover almost everything a Lapland trip throws at you: a camera-based aurora alert, VR Matkalla for trains, a taxi app, Google Maps saved offline, and 112 Suomi for emergencies. Install them at home on your own Wi-Fi, before you fly.
At a glance
- Best aurora app: one with its own Lapland cameras, not a global forecast.
- Taxis: Uber and Bolt run in Rovaniemi; local firms cover the ski resorts.
- Emergency: the free 112 Suomi app sends your location to the operator automatically.
The short list, by job
| What you need it for | App |
|---|---|
| Aurora alerts | Northern Lights Alert or Aurora Alert Realtime |
| Taxis | Uber, Bolt, Lähitaksi, Menevä |
| Trains and long-distance buses | VR Matkalla, Omio, Matkahuolto |
| Maps and weather | Google Maps (saved offline), FMI Weather |
| Data and privacy | An eSIM, a VPN |
| Emergencies | 112 Suomi |
Which aurora app actually works in Lapland?
There are two kinds. A forecast app shows the global Kp index and a cloud forecast, so it tells you the odds for the week. A camera app watches the real Lapland sky and pings you when the lights are out, which is the alert that gets you off the sofa.
Northern Lights Alert runs its own aurora cameras at Rovaniemi, Levi, Saariselkä, Ylläs, Muonio, Pyhä, Ivalo, Utsjoki and Kakslauttanen. The login key costs 9.90€ and works for one destination at a time; guests of partner tourism companies get it free. Aurora Alert Realtime covers the Rovaniemi, Levi, Luosto, Pyhä and Ranua areas, refreshes its camera images once a minute, alerts you when the aurora is visible and alarms again when it intensifies; it is free to download with in-app purchases. My Aurora Forecast is the free forecast app most people already have, with ads and a Pro version at $3.99. Prices were checked in October 2026 and app prices change, so look at the store listing before you buy.
Getting a taxi in Rovaniemi or Levi
Uber works in Rovaniemi around the clock, with UberXL for up to six and a taxi option. Uber’s own city page warns that pickups take longer than in a big city and suggests using Uber Reserve, which books up to 90 days ahead. Bolt is also available in Rovaniemi.
The official local firms are Lähitaksi, Menevä, Santa Line and Taksi Rovaniemi. Lähitaksi’s app covers Rovaniemi and Levi with one-tap ordering and live tracking. Menevä’s app gives you a fixed quote once you enter the destination, or metered if you prefer, books minivans for groups, keeps cars waiting at the airport exit, and charges nothing for pre-booking; fares start at 10€. In Levi, Levi-Kittilän Taksit runs 22 cars around the clock, all year, on 0200 99800 (a premium-rate number) and also takes orders through the 02 Taksi app. Around Ylläs and Kolari, Lapland Taxi covers Kittilä, Levi, Kolari and Ylläs and will drive as far as Inari or Rovaniemi.
Trains and buses
VR Matkalla is the only app you need for trains, night train included: tickets, live trip tracking, a seat change within your class without the 5.20€ fee, compartment upgrades and food to your seat. Tickets activate in the half hour before departure and until ten minutes after it leaves. Omio is the easy English way to compare train, bus and Finnair for the Helsinki leg in one search. For long-distance buses such as Rovaniemi to Levi, use the Matkahuolto app, listed in the stores as Matkat; Rovaniemi bus station has no ticket desk, so book in the app. Waltti Mobile handles Rovaniemi city buses, and Airport Express tickets are at airportbus.fi with no reservation needed.
Maps and weather
Before you leave, open Google Maps and download Finnish Lapland as an offline area. Driving directions and place search then work with no signal at all, which matters on the road between Rovaniemi and Levi; live bus times do not. For weather, install FMI Weather from the Finnish Meteorological Institute. Finns ignore the phone’s built-in weather app and check this one, and the difference shows most in snowfall and wind forecasts.
Data and shared Wi-Fi
If you are travelling from outside the EU, buy an eSIM for Finland before the flight so your phone has data the minute you land. An EU SIM roams in Finland at no extra cost; UK plans lost that on many tariffs, so check yours rather than assume.
Hotel and airport Wi-Fi is shared with every other guest in the building. Use a VPN such as NordVPN for banking and work logins, and it also keeps the streaming and banking apps you already pay for at home working while you are in Finland.
Emergencies
112 works everywhere in Finland, without a SIM and from a locked phone. Install the free 112 Suomi app anyway: a call placed through it sends your location straight to the emergency centre, and it shows the nearest defibrillator, regional warnings and the non-urgent helpline numbers.
One more thing: cold kills phone batteries fast, and a dead phone has no aurora alert and no 112.
Two things to sort before you fly
- eSIM for Finland: a Yesim data plan that works from the moment you land
- NordVPN: keeps banking and bookings private on hotel and airport Wi-Fi, and your home streaming and banking apps working while you travel
Common questions
Do the aurora apps work without mobile data?
No. Alerts, forecasts and camera images all arrive over the network, so you need data or Wi-Fi. Download your offline maps instead and keep the aurora app for when you have a signal, which in the resorts and towns you will.
Can you hail a taxi in the street in Rovaniemi?
Not really. You order by app or phone, or take one from a rank at the airport, the station or a hotel door. Use the official companies, and ask the price before you get in.
Does Uber work at Rovaniemi airport?
Uber covers Rovaniemi including airport runs, but waits can be long with a planeload of people ordering at once. Reserve the ride in advance, or walk to the taxis waiting at the exit.
Best Booking Resources for Lapland
These are the booking tools I keep coming back to. They consistently offer the best prices, the most relevant options for northern Finland, and actually work well for Lapland-specific searches, which not all platforms do.
- Kiwi.com: The best source for finding flights and airport connections. I have noticed they find flight connections that other search engines miss.
- Booking.com: I almost always use them for booking hotels and apartments (and occasionally flights). They have the best filters and I like the user-friendly interface.
- Hotels.com: The most popular hotel booking platform in many countries, US included.
- Get Your Guide: A massive selection of tours and excursions, including aurora tours, husky rides, reindeer experiences and more!
- EconomyBookings: Want to explore Lapland or chase auroras yourself? They pool together the best offers from car rental operators for your convenience.
- yesim: Need a local SIM for Lapland? A stress-free holiday nowadays (unfortunately) might start from a good connection, so get an eSIM with unlimited or prepaid data.
- NordVPN: Hotel and airport Wi-Fi is shared with everyone else staying there. A VPN keeps your banking and bookings private, and lets you watch the services you already subscribe to at home while you are away.
- Ekta Traveling: Not interested in checking out the Finnish public health care system on your holiday? Didn’t think so 🙂 Good insurance gets that stress out of the way.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Booking through these links costs you nothing extra and helps keep these guides free and up to date. Thank you!
Planning a Lapland trip?
Ask a Finn. The Lapland Trip Planning: Finland group is where readers compare dates, resorts and real prices for the coming winter.
Join the planning groupFollow on FacebookFollow on Pinterest
