Foreign students' information package for everyday life

Quick links:
GoSaimaa.com
City of Imatra

A Accomodation
B Bank
Bars, restaurants etc.
Berries, mushrooms etc.
Buses
C Church in Lappeenranta and Imatra
E Emergency (fire brigade, ambulance, police)
F Food and eating
Food vocabulary
H Hairdressing
Health care
I International Office
International tutors
L Library
M Movies
N Newspapers
P Pharmacy
Photo
Post Office
R Radio
Railways
S Shops
Smoking, alcohol, drugs
Saimaa University of Applied Sciences
Sports
Student Union
T Taxi
Telephone calls
Tourist Information

Accommodation

Bank

• In the centre of Imatra there are different banks, e.g.:
- Sampo, Koskenparras 10
- Nordea, Lappeentie 9
- Etelä-Karjalan Osuuspankki, Helsingintie 1
• Banks are open 10:00-16:30
• There is a queuing system in most banks. Take a number from the machine and wait for your turn.
• For money exchange banks charges about 5 €/operation.
• To open a bank account you need at least a passport (EU citizens ID-card), a certificate that you are studying at Saimaa University of Applied Sciences. Different banks have different rules for opening an account. You can ask your tutor to help you, if you wish to open a bank account.

Bars, Restaurants etc.

• Restaurants and bars require the minimun age of 18 years, but some restaurants have their own age limits higher than that.
• When going out together everybody usually pays his/her own drinks.
• Here are some places, which young people in Imatra visit:
- Onnela at Helsingintie 1
- Osmos Cosmos bar at Koskenparras 5
- Olteri Pupi at Tainionkoskentie 68
- Street Cafe & Pub at Jukankatu 9
- Bar Q at Jukankatu 5
- Restaurant Parnell's Irish bar at Koskenparras 3

Berries, Mushrooms etc.

• There exists so called “public right of access” in Finland . It means that nature belongs to everybody, but this right also means certain obligations to those walking in the nature.
• You are allowed to walk in forests and other places (even privately owned), but you are not allowed to enter anybody´s yard or garden.
• You are allowed to pick berries and mushrooms in any forest.
• You are not allowed to cut trees or branches of trees and you are never allowed to make fire on another person´s land.

Buses

• Bus nr 1, 3, 2p and 8 goes through the whole town from Huhtasenkylä in the northern part to Jakola in the southeastern part of the town. So taking this bus you can go from the central station to Imatrankoski (and also further quite close to the unit of fine arts).
• Buses go rather seldom (about once each hour).
• The price of one bus ticket is 3,00€, a bus card for ten trips is cheaper.
• You can see the timetables printed at bus stops where there is roof and place to sit.

Church

Emergency

• In case of fire, serious accident etc. you can call from all telephones free of charge the emergence telephone 112
• You should tell your name, where you are calling from and what has happened. Hold on until the person on duty has told you to hang up
• Police station is at Tainionkoskentie 70.

Food and eating

• There is a dining room at school, where you can have lunch. A lunch costs 2-3 €.
• Breakfast in Finland usually means bread and butter, cheese, perhaps porridge, juice, some milk products and certainly coffee (Finns drink lots of coffee).
• At lunch and dinner people usually have only the main course. The main course is usually made of fish or meat and served with potatoes and some vegetables or salad
• Typical Finnish food is also a casserole made of different ingredients (e.g. cabbage, carrots, meat and pasta, fish)
• A particular Finnish habit is drinking milk or sourmilk with meals.
• You can also buy non- or low-lactose milk products. These products are marked with the word HYLA. If you have stomach problems and you do not know the reason, you could try to exclude milk products or use HYLA products.
• People eat out quite seldom. There are two reasons: eating in proper restaurants is quite expensive and on the other hand people with families hold home cooking in high regard.
• There are some fast-food places in Imatra, here are some addresses:
- Euro Kebab at Tainionkoskentie 14
- Dara Kebab at Koskenparras 9
- Dara Kebab at Vuoksenniskantie 68
- Mersin Kebab pizzeria at Lappeentie 12
- Didem Kebab at Tainionkoskentie 68
- McDonalds at Tainionkoskentie 5

• There are also some restaurants:
- Rosso at Koskenparras 1
- Martina at Koskenparras 3
- Buttenhoff at Koskenparras 4
• There are also some ethnic restaurants in Imatra:
- Chinese restaurant Xiangfu at Tainionkoskentie 10
- Japanese restaurant Wasabi at Torikatu 13 (same building as cinema Bio-Vuoksi)

Food vocabulary

Hairdressing

• Hairdressers are usually private entrepreneurs and there is usually only one hairdresser (or not more than 2) in one place
• Usually you have to book a time for haircutting for some days or a week earlier.
• Hairdressers´ are usually open from Monday to Friday 9:00-17:00 and on Saturdays 9:00-13:00.
Examples of hairdresses:
Hairdresser Hairstore, Napinkuja 3 A
Hairdresser Lime, Tainionkoskentie 6
South Karelia Vocational School, hairdresser students; Tietäjänkatu 3

Health care

International office

Tietäjänkatu 3
55120 Imatra
e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
• International office staff will help you in questions concerning your accommodation, everyday problems and if you do not know, who would be the correct person, do not hesitate to contact the international office.

Manager, International Office
Mr. Seppo Pellinen
Tel. +358 400 252 900
e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Student Affairs Officer
Ms. Mari Tuukkanen
Tel. +358 40 741 8842
e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

International tutors

• The student union SAIKO has organized a network of international tutors.
• International tutors are ordinary Finnish students, who just want to get new experiences and who are internationally orientated. Tutors have studied at Saimaa University of Applied Sciences at least one year before they became international tutors so that they know, how to help foreign students. International tutoring is voluntary, but when they have entered the network, they have bindingly promised to fulfil certain operations with foreign students (e.g. meeting at the railway station, orientation in accommodation, every day life, first days at school etc.). These operations are co-ordinated by the international office of Saimaa University of Applied Sciences.
• How much foreign students have contacts with their tutors depends on both sides. If you wish more information or you have questions or suggestions, do not hesitate to contact your tutor! Finns are sometimes shy and reserved and if a foreigner does not take an active role, Finns think that the foreigner wants to be left in peace.
• If you have questions and you cannot find your own tutor, you can contact anyone of the under mentioned tutors. They will certainly help you.
• For more information about tutors and tutoring send email to:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Library

• In almost every unit of Saimaa University of Applied Sciences there is a library, which can be used by students free of charge. Librarians can help you in finding needed information or books.
• You can also visit the town library. The main library is at Virastokatu 1. Open Mon-Fri 10-19, Sat 11-15
• You can get a library card and then take also books home. Ask the library staff, how you can get a card.
• In the library you can find rules of the library in different languages.
• There is also free Internet access
• There is also possibility to read newspapers and other magazines. (also open on Sun 12-15)

Movies

• In Imatra there is a cinema called Bio Vuoksi in the district of Vuoksenniska (Torikatu 13)
• Movies are in the original language with Finnish subtitles.
• A ticket costs about 9 €
• See also www.biovuoksi.fi

Newspapers

• The local newspaper is called Uutisvuoksi. It will be delivered into you mail box free of charge every Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. Even if it is in Finnish, you can find some useful information in it, when somebody has first shown you, on which pages you should look for the information.
• There is information about exhibitions and different activities that take place in Imatra and also movie programs and advertisements of different shops. Ask your tutor to show you, where you can find interesting information in the newspaper.

Pharmacy

Photo

• You can have you photos developed at photo shops, e.g.:
- Helios at Koskenparras 8
- Näppäri at Lappeentie 24
- Kosken Kuvaamo at Tainionkoskentie 16
• You can also leave your pictures to be developed in the supermarkets: Prisma, Citymarket and Euromarket. It takes less than week.

Post office

• Main post office at Tainionkoskentie 1 is open Mon-Fri 9-18
• If you get a notice that you have received a parcel, the place where you should pick it up, depends on the place, where you live:
- If you live at Pappilanpolku, your post office is in shop SIWA (Asemäentie 1)
- If you live at Pilvikuja, your post office is the main post office at Tainionkoskentie 1
• More information www.posti.fi

Radio

- YleX FM 90,9 MHz
- NRJ FM 96,5 MHz
- Voice FM 102,7 MHz
- Nova FM 103,7 MHz
- Sputnik FM 102,1 MHz

Railways

• The easiest way to get to other towns in Finland is by train.
• Student discount is 50 %
• To get a discount you should fill in a form with your tutor (it is in Finnish and in Swedish only – that´s why you will need your tutor´s help), get it signed and stamped at the office of the faculty and then you should go with this form and one passport photo to the railway station, where they will make a VR student card for you. They will charge you for the card about 6 €. Have your VR card made before you plan to travel somewhere, because it always take some time.
• The timetables and rates you will find at www.vr.fi. You can also buy your ticket from the website.

Shops

• Supermarkets are usually open Mon-Fri 9-21 and Sat (8) 9-18
• Special shops are usually open Mon-Fri 9-17 (or 18) and Sat 9-15
• Stores smaller than 400m2 can be open on Sundays from 12-19 (Siwa, Ruokavarasto, Valintatalo.  The Sunday opening hours do not apply on a special holiday.
• There are following supermarkets in Imatra:
- Citymarket at Tietäjänkatu 2
- Prisma at Karhumäenkatu 6
- Euromarket at Koskenparras 3
- S-Market Vuoksenniskantie 80
- Lidl in Vuoksenniska district at Valvatinkatu 8

Smoking, Alcohol, Drugs

• Smoking is forbidden in most buildings, also in student flats. There are special smoking rooms or outside smoking areas. Smoking is also forbidden in restaurants and bars.
• Cigarettes are not sold to young people (under 18)
• Beer and beverages under 4,7% alcohol can be sold in supermarkets, gas stations, and Kiosks, but it can be sold only to persons older than 18 and between 09:00-21:00.
• Other alcohol beverages are sold in special shops called Alko. The age limit for buying wine and alcohol beverages (max 21%) is 18 years and for spirits 20 years.
• Alkos are located in Vuoksenniska, Torikatu 8 and Prisma, Karhumäenkatu 6
• Possession and use of any kinds of drugs is illegal.

Saimaa University of Applied Sciences

• There are 5 faculties at Saimaa University of Applied Sciences.
• Faculty of Business Administration:
- Unit in Lappeenranta: Kimpisen kampus; Pohjolankatu 23
• Faculty of Technology:
- Unit in Lappeenranta:Kimpisen kampus;  Pohjolankatu 23
- Unit in Imatra: Linnalan kampus; Koulukatu 5 B and Tietäjänkatu 3
• Faculty of Health Care and Social Services
- Unit in Lappeenranta: Kahilanniemen kampus;  Valto Käkelän katu 3
• Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality
- Unit of Tourism in Imatra: Linnalan kampus; Tietäjänkatu 3
• Faculty of Fine Arts and Design:
- Unit of Fine Arts in Imatra: Itä-Vuoksen kampus; Kanavakatu 6
- Unit of Crafts and Design in Lappeenranta: Armilankatu 40
• Central administration and Rector´s office are in Lappeenranta at Pohjolankatu 23

Sports

• The town-owned fitness centre and swimming pool, called Urheilutalo, are located at Tainionkoskentie.
• There are also private fitness centres in the town. For example:
    * Kuntokeskus Colosseum is located at Tainionkoskentie 10 in Imatrankoski (gym, solarium etc)
    * Imatran Kylpylä, Purjekuja 1 in Karhumäki (swimming, bowling, gym, solarium etc.)
• Bowling hall in Urheilutalo and Imatran Kylpylä.
• Downhill skiing and snowboarding in Myllymäki, Myllymäentie 83 (town Joutseno)

Student union

• Students of Saimaa University of Applied Sciences have organized their own student union called in abbreviation SAIKO (Pohjolankatu 23; unit of technology)
• The international co-ordinator of SAIKO can be reached by e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
• SAIKO organizes some leisure activities for foreign students (trips, evenings, sports etc.). If you have any suggestions, what kind of activities could be interesting (but not too expensive!), please share your ideas with SAIKO by e-mail; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Taxi

• The telephone number of taxi in Imatra is (05) 106 464

Telephone calls

• When calling from Finland you have to dial first the international prefix 990 or 999 or 994 or 99500 or 00 (different companies), then dial the country code ( Russia 7, Germany 49, China 86 etc.), then the area code and the telephone number.
• If you make a call to Imatra-Lappeenranta district, you can just dial the telephone number without area code. If you make a call to some other town of Finland , you should at first dial the area code, e.g. Helsinki 09. If you call to a mobile phone, you should always dial at first the mobile operator code (usually 040, 041, 0400 or 050).
• Area code of Lappeenranta and Imatra is 05, Helsinki 09.
• If you wish to have a Finnish mobile phone, you had better discuss with your tutor, because different operators have different limitations for foreigners (deposit sums, prepaid systems etc.). You can buy prepaid system from R-Kioski.

Tourist information

• Tourist information of the town Imatra at the centre of Imatrankoski (Heikinkatu 1) tel. (05) 235 2330, e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or home page www.imatra.fi or www.gosaimaa.fi
• A worth seeing sight are Imatra rapids. There will be rapids shows everyday till 21 August at 18 o’clock. Rapids shows are also on 25 December at 21 o’clock and on 31 December at 24 o’clock. The show lasts about 20 minutes and it is accentuated with light effects and music.