Virrat

Beach at the Kalettomanlahti Bay in Virrat

Virrat is a municipality in Pirkanmaa, Finland.

Understand

The municipality is rich in lakes, which is why Virrat is well known for water sports and fishing.

Get in

By train

Neighboring Parkano and Haapamäki have railway stations. Timetables are available from VR website.

By bus

Long-distance buses from Tampere, Kokkola and Parkano. For timetables of ordinary coaches, see Matkahuolto. Osmo Aho route Pohjanmaan pikavuoro between Tampere and Kokkola stops at Virrat, its tickets are sold at Onnibus web site.

By boat

Virrat is on the 130-km Näsijärvi–Toisvesi waterway. Between Näsijärvi in Tampere and Virrat centre, the route leads from one scenic labyrinthine lake to the next (Näsijärvi, Palovesi, Ruovesi, Tarjanne and Vaskivesi), all of them with many islands; max draught is 2.4 m. The route connects to a 1.0/1.9-m fairway from Mänttä-Vilppula. On Toisvesi, reachable through the centre, max draught is 1.8 m.

• 1 s/s Tarjanne (from Mustalahti harbour (Mustanlahden satama) in Tampere, near Särkänniemi, via Ruovesi), ☏ +358 10-422-5699 (booking), +358 400-234-816 (the ship), asiakaspalvelu@hopealinja.fi. Early June–mid-August W F Tampere 10:00 Ruovesi 14:45 Virrat 18:30, back Th Sa 11:00. A steamer built in 1908, on its original route between Tampere and Virrat via Ruovesi. Restaurant on board; lunch of the day or à la carte (book in advance if possible). A few cabins (Spartan, with breakfast, checkout 08:00 unless return booking). Also cruises and packets with on-shore activities. Adult €69 (return €105), bike €10; à la carte €24–32, child dish €12. (updated Sep 2024)

Get around

By taxi

• Taksi Tuomo Luodes, ☏ +358 50 023 9336. (updated Jun 2024)
• Ylitalo, ☏ +358 44 088 4008. (updated Jun 2024)
• Taksipalvelu Jytilä Ky, ☏ +358 10 020 20. (updated Jun 2024)

• Smartphone apps: Valopilkku, 02 Taksi

Eat

• 1 Kitusen Kievari, Sampolantie 7. Finnish style food. (updated Oct 2022)

Sleep

• 1 s/s Tarjanne, Pohjolantie 7, ☏ +358 10 422 5600, asiakaspalvelu@hopealinja.fi. Steamship legend built in 1908. Shared toilets and showers, both toilet and showers have lake water. €50. (updated Jan 2021)