Jakobstad (Finnish: Pietarsaari) is a nice small port town in Ostrobothnia.
Understand
The majority of the inhabitants speak Swedish as their native language. The town was founded in 1625 in what is now the neighbouring municipality Pedersöre, but postglacial rebound made that harbour too shallow and the town moved towards the new shoreline. The town grew in the 18th century with privileges for international trade. A replica of a ship of that time, Jacobstads Wapen, was built 1988–1994. In 1900 a tobacco factory was the biggest employer. Nowadays the biggest employer is a cellulose and paper factory. There are several smaller businesses, among them Nautor, making world class Swan sailing yachts.
Get in
Jakobstad lies at the coast between Vaasa and Kokkola, 8 km from national road 8 (E8), the main road along the Finnish west coast. The main junctions are in Kållby/Kolppi (Edsevö) and Bennäs/Pännäinen, both in Pedersöre. If you prefer small roads you could drive via Munsala and Nykarleby in the south or via Larsmo ("the road of seven bridges") in the north. From the east you can come along road 28 to Kokkola or along road 16 towards Vaasa, turning to road 68 in Alajärvi.
By train
Some trains between southern Finland and Oulu or Rovaniemi stop at the Jakobstad-Pedersöre railway station in Bennäs 📍, Pedersöre, some 10 km to the south. From there, take the connection bus to Jakobstad. Train tickets to Jakobstad include the connection bus.
By bus
Buses between Vaasa and Kokkola stop in Jakobstad. The Onnibus route between Turku and Oulu uses the highway stop Edsevö Hotel Polaris, which is 11 km away from the centre. It is possible to transfer for the centre using the stop Edsevö L at road 68, but the schedules are not synchronized.
By plane
Nordic Regional Airlines flies from Helsinki to Kokkola–Pietarsaari airport (IATA: KOK), 30 km from Jakobstad.
City Taxi Jeppis offers airport shuttles for €25–69 from the Kokkola-Jakobstad airport to the centre. Book before 18:00 for the morning flight, before 10:00/17:00 for the day and evening flights.
By boat
See also: Boating in Finland
There is a ferry from Umeå, Sweden to Vaasa.
Jakobstad has an archipelago, partly in Larsmosjön. Larsmosjön to the north-east is since long a fresh water basin, separated from the sea by locks. The main marina is on the sea side of the locks.
- Smultrongrundet marina, 63.6900°, 22.6912°, +358 44-723-7940, stefan_kald@hotmail.com. 15 June–9 August. Marina of the sailing club 1.5 km from the centre. Mooring depths 1.8–2.8m. Water, electricity, waste collection, septic tank emptying, fuel, toilet, showers, sauna, laundry, Wi-Fi, playground, beach, restaurant. €15/24h 2016-05-04
Get around
By dial-a-ride
Vippari (dead link: January 2023) connects the routes of passengers traveling in the same direction and at the same time, thus being able to serve as many customers as possible. Vippari's service area covers the city centre of Jakobstad and its immediate surroundings. The prices are €4 for adults, €2 for minors under 12 years and free for minors under 4 years.
The ride can be ordered within the service area between any addresses on weekdays 07:30–15:45. The ride is ordered and paid for with Matkahuolto's Routes and Tickets application. Alternatively, the ride can be ordered by calling +358 100-4488 M–F 07:30–11:00 and 12:00–15:30, in which case payment will be made in the car with either cash or a debit card. The order can be placed for immediate need or up to five days before the time of the trip.
You can get the ride from the location indicated by the app or customer service. You can also get a car with a pram, wheelchair or rollator, for example.
By taxi
- Taxi Jakobstad, Rådhusgatan 2 (next to town hall), 63.6744926°, 22.705077°, +358 100 417. 2022-06-18
- Taxitjänst Sundqvist (Citytaxi Jeppis), +358 50-550-9866, city.taxi10@gmail.com. €8 + €1.10–1.90/km + €1/min; pre-order fee €7.10 2022-06-03
- Ingsva Taxi, +358 44 777 7205, ingsvataxi@ingsva.fi. 2022-06-14
- Valopilkku app (Taksi Helsinki)
See
- Jakobstad's town hall and the Town hall square, 63.6743°, 22.7034°.
- Strengberg tobacco factory, 63.6777°, 22.7049°. The factory closed down in 1998, nevertheless the yellow industrial building and its clock sphere on the roof remains one of Jakobstad's symbols.
- Skata, 63.6804°, 22.7057°. The wooden old town.
- Skolparken, 63.6769°, 22.7081°. The School Park is not just a park but a botanical garden with almost a thousand different plants and flowers.
- Jakobstad Church, 63.6771°, 22.7035°.
- Jacobstads Wapen, The old port, 63.6859°, 22.6875°, +358 6 723 1796. A replica of a 18th century ship, built according to blueprints by af Chapman, anchored in the old port of Jakobstad. 1,60€ 2016-12-29
- Nanoq, Pörkenäsvägen 60, 63.6554°, 22.5901°, +358 6 729 3679, pentti.kronqvist@nanoq.fi. "Finland's first Arctic museum" is a museum dedicated to the explorers of the North Pole, Greenland and Svalbard. adults 6€, children 3,50€
- Pedersöre Church, Sockenvägen 5, 63.6642°, 22.7006°. 2016-02-22
Do
- Fäboda beach (Fäboda simstrand), Lillsandvägen 263 (10 km to west from the centre, along Fäbodavägen, then Lillsandsvägen). Large sandy beach. Café. Hiking trail.
Buy
Eat
- Korv-Göran, Kanalesplanaden 17, +358 6 724-4088. M–Tu 10:30–21:00, W–Th 10:30–22:00, F 10:30–24:00, Sa 11:00–24:00, Su 12:00–22:00. The one place to eat warm sausage, hamburgers etc. when visiting Jakobstad. The menu has changed since the founding in 1973, and you can now find Korv-Görans in a few other towns, but check out the original. Hot dog €2, kebab and burger meals €10–13
Drink
- O'Learys Jakobstad, Alholmsvägen 1, 68600, +358 6 7888399. 2016-02-22
Sleep
- Stadshotellet, Kanalesplanaden 13, 63.67535°, 22.70567°, +358 6 788 8111, stadshotellet@multi.fi. A typical small-town hotel, clean and modern. Double room €130
Connect
Go next
If you are continuing towards Kokkola by car, you can take the more scenic route through the archipelago over seven bridges.