Etusivu ENG: Front page | Kotkan kaupunki

Kotka – the city by the sea

Welcome to Kotka! The city of Kotka is located in lush and wide river Kymijoki estuary, in magnificent archipelago of...

Menu

Welcome to Kotka!

Kotka is located on the shores of the Gulf of Finland, in the Kymijoki River estuary. It has 50 488 inhabitants (2023).

The city’s rich history, unique attractions, breathtaking natural beauty, developed services and diverse leisure facilities make Kotka one of the most attractive places to live, study and visit in Finland.

Residents

Healthcare

Kindergartens and schools

Housing
Work & Business

Cursor Business Services

Work in Finland

Job Market Finland
Have a good time in Kotka

Visit KotkaHamina

Events in Kotka

Visit Finland

Important information for citizens

Looking for information on public transport, contact details or tips for spending your free time? Would you like to garden or buy a plot of land? Here are some links worth checking out! If you can’t find what you’re looking for, you can always contact our customer service team at Ruori, they will guide and advise you on all aspects of the city’s services!

Services

Public transport

Customer service

Visit Kotka-Hamina
Land Use

House plots

Allotment gardens

Transfer of tenancy rights
Urban planning

Land use planning

Detailed land use planning

Planning progress and advice for applicants for a change of plan

Important links for immigrants

Immigration services

Early integration services

Integration coordination

Guidance and counselling for immigrants Moona

Guide for immigrants

Fall in love with the East Coast of Finland!

The fabulous, unexplored East Coast of Finland offers many adventures, whether by land, sea, or river! You will see and experience award-winning parks, historic buildings, and picturesque alleys and enjoy local hospitality.

visitkotkahamina.fi

News

Professional tennis in Kotka

12.5.2025 | The women’s ITF professional tournament Soluni Ladies Open will be played in Kotka from May 12th to 18th,…
The city of Kotka and AALTO Development have made a preliminary agreement for the development of the Hietanen car park

8.5.2025 | The city of Kotka and real estate development company AALTO Development Oy have signed a preliminary agreement, according…
Eagle Drift Battle & Motorsport Weekend – Drifters Arrive at Kantasatama

7.5.2025 | A nationally significant motorsport event, Eagle Drift Battle & Motorsport Wknd, will take place on May 9–10 in…
Authentication for electronic services provided by authorities is changing

6.5.2025 | Starting from May 12, approximately 2.8 million individuals will be prompted to activate Suomi.fi Messages when they authenticate…
Traffic at the Port of HaminaKotka is experiencing strong growth

6.5.2025 | A total of 4,793,471 tonnes of goods passed through the Port of HaminaKotka between January and April, marking…
Karhula public swimming pool will reopen after a partial renovation on May 19

6.5.2025 | The approximately year-long partial renovation of the Karhula public swimming pool is nearing completion. The pool will open…
The planning of the Business Center is progressing

15.4.2025 | The planning of the business center envisioned for Kotka’s Kantasatama is progressing. The City Board has decided to…
Public holidays, staff development day and the transition to daylight saving time will bring changes to library opening hours

15.4.2025 | Easter, May Day, Ascension Day, and the staff development day will affect library opening hours. In addition, libraries…
Easter Brings Changes to Bus Schedules

11.4.2025 | Easter will cause some changes to bus services in the Kotka region. On Maundy Thursday, April 17, normal…
The Maritime Day Parade Takes You to the Year 2075 – Registration is Now Open

11.4.2025 | Kotka’s Maritime Festival (Kotkan Meripäivät) will be held from July 23rd to 26th. Year after year, one of…
Port director Kimmo Naski is retiring

9.4.2025 | Doctor of Economics, Port Counselor Kimmo Naski has announced that he will retire from his position as CEO…
HaminaKotka port traffic is experiencing strong growth

9.4.2025 | In January to March, 3,658,725 tons of goods passed through the HaminaKotka port, which is 26.7 percent more…
Karhuvuori dog park out of use

8.4.2025 | Karhuvuori dog park is out of use from April 9th to April 17th. The park service is building…
Council approves the Sports Facilities Service Network Report

11.12.2024 | Kotka City Council has approved the city’s sports facilities service network report and the related proposals for 2025-2030….
Author and theater maker Saara Turunen will visit the main library

7.4.2025 | Author and theater maker Saara Turunen (b. 1981) will visit the Kotka main library stage on Thursday, April…
A new family center will open in Karhula – services will be moved under one roof

4.4.2025 | A new family center will open in Karhula on April 28. Services that were previously located in temporary…
Kotka high school education is attractive in the spring joint application

28.3.2025 | This spring’s joint application for Kotka high schools had more primary applicants (314) than starting places (308).The last…
Green Logistics and Efficiency – Keys to Profitable Investments

28.3.2025 | An international seminar, “Logistics and Investments,” will be held at Maritime Centre Vellamo on April 15, focusing on…
Over 4,500 primary applicants to Xamk

28.3.2025 | In the recently concluded spring joint application, South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences (Xamk) received 4,548 primary applicants….
Special inspections are being carried out on the bridges in Karhula.

25.3.2025 | Special inspections will be carried out on three bridges in Karhula between March 31 and April 2. The…
The financial result of the Kotka City Group for the fiscal year is balanced

25.3.2025 | The City of Kotka’s financial result for last year showed a surplus of just over €0.6 million. The…
The Museum Treasures project highlights the hidden gems of local museums

25.3.2025 | What Do You Want from a Museum? What aspects of the past are important to share, and how…
The battery materials plant planned in Kotka proceeds to construction phase

20.3.2025 | Finnish Minerals Group and Beijing Easpring Material Technology have decided to start the construction of the CAM plant….
In Kotka, decisions are made in good spirit

19.3.2025 | Kotka’s decision-makers highlight the collaborative decision-making atmosphere as a key success of the past council term. This is…
Diandra, Antti Rissanen, and Kymi Sinfonietta at the Satama Arena

17.3.2025 | The iconic theme songs from the James Bond films will be performed live, featuring the popular Diandra, conductor…
Kotka received the Child-Friendly Municipality recognition from UNICEF Finland

17.3.2025 | Kotka has been awarded its first Child-Friendly Municipality recognition by UNICEF Finland. The city began its Child-Friendly Municipality…
Artificial intelligence complements Kyyti libraries’ customer service

14.3.2025 | Kyyti libraries introduced a multilingual, around-the-clock advisory service on March 10 at kyyti.finna.fi. The service is a pilot…
Anti-Racism Week promotes equality

Anti-Racism Week is observed in March, during Week 12. In Kotka, events related to the week will take place throughout…
A sampling point will open at Kotkansaari Health Center

5.3.2025 | Laboratory services will begin at Kotkansaari Health Center on March 17. At the same time, changes will take…
Kotka calls on police to investigate Rankki and Kirkonmaa water supply subsidy

3.3.2025 | The City of Kotka will submit a request to the police to investigate whether the City was deceived…
Amendment to the zoning plan of the Katariina area – to assess the architectural and cultural values of the area

3.3.2025 | The City Planning Department of Kotka has drafted an amendment to the zoning plan for the Katariina residential…
Moominpappa and Moominmamma rowing nets. Tove Jansson. From Moominpappa and the Sea (1965).

3.3.2025 | Knowledge Treat: “Her own storm was always the worst.” Moomin characters’ views on the sea, adventure, and happiness…
Documentary film about the lost islands at the Vellamo Marine Centre

28.2.2025 | The documentary film Back – Longing for the Lost Islands will be screened at the Vellamo Marine Centre…
Keltakallio road and stormwater projects on track

28.2.2025 | The construction of the infrastructure for the Keltakallio industrial estate is on schedule. The Keltakallion road will be…
The City Council approved Kotka City Strategy 2035

17.2.2025 | The City Council has approved Kotka’s new urban strategy, which runs until 2035. At Monday night’s meeting, the…
Krista Tervo Named Kymenlaakso Athlete of the Year 2024

3.2.2025 | Hammer thrower Krista Tervo, representing Karhulan Katajaiset, has been named Kymenlaakso’s Athlete of the Year 2024. Her coach,…
Bring One, Take One – Book Exchange Point Opens at the Main Library

3.2.2025 | A new book exchange point will open at Kotka’s main library on Monday, February 3rd, at 8:00. The…
Parents are very satisfied with Kotka’s early childhood education and care

27.1.2025 | Parents of children in day-care centres in Kotka are very satisfied with the early childhood education offered by…
Two international tennis ITF professional tournaments to be played in Kotka in May

27.1.2025 | Kotka is preparing to offer top tennis fans a tennis-filled May as two ITF World Tennis Tour professional…
WATERWAYS project produces information and recommendations to support sustainable use of maritime routes

20.1.2025 | What is sustainable and resilient use of the Baltic Sea shipping lanes and how can it best be…
Eagle Drift Battle & Motorsport Wknd – drifters arrive in Kotka in May

20.1.2025 | A nationally significant motorsport event, the Eagle Drift Battle & Motorsport Wknd, will take place on 9-10 May…
Four out of five people in Kotka think their neighbourhood is safe

07.11.2024 | 83%, or around four out of five people in Kotka, feel that their neighbourhood is safe. The result…
Easpring Finland receives environmental permit – Kotka-Hamina region strengthens its position as a pioneer in the battery cluster

29.10.2024 | The Regional State Administrative Agency for Southern Finland has granted an environmental permit for the battery materials plant…
Ren-Gas eNRG Kotka e-methane project Secures €42 Million EU Innovation Fund Grant

28.10.2024 | Ren-Gas, a prominent European hydrogen developer, has further solidified its leadership in the hydrogen industry by obtaining a…
Kotka involved in climate change adaptation work – EU funding for Kymenlaakso

10.10.2024 | Kymenlaakso has received EU funding to prepare a comprehensive climate change adaptation plan. The main partner in the…
CarbonScape to build a biographite co-working space in Sunila

17.09.2024 | CarbonScape, a pioneer in sustainable battery materials, is making the leap towards commercial operations by choosing the Sunila…
Kotka’s parks continue their winning streak as well-maintained green spaces

15.8.2024 | Five parks in Kotka have won the Green Flag Award 2024-2025. Sapokka’s Water Park, Katariina Marine Park, River…
EIA procedure to start on cell production plant for Kotka, Finland

4.12.2023 | Finnish Battery Chemicals Oy has submitted an Environmental Impact Assessment programme to the coordinating authority concerning a battery…

How can we help you?

What would you like to know about our city – we’d love to tell you more!
Send your questions to us and we’ll answer them right here on our website, viestinta@kotka.fi

16.05.2025

Asiantuntija

Kotkan kaupungin Hyvinvoinnin ja työllisyyden vastuualueella, työllisyyden ja kotoutumisen edistämisen palveluyksikössä on...
16.05.2025

Peruskoulun rehtorin virka

Kotkan opetustoimessa on haettavana peruskoulun rehtorin virka määräajaksi.
Kotkan opetustoimessa on haettavana peruskoulun...
15.05.2025

Peruskoulun päätoiminen tuntiopettaja, opetettavana aineena käsityö (tekstiilityön menetelmät)

Kotkan opetustoimessa on haettavana peruskoulun päätoimisen tuntiopettajan virkasuhde, opetettavana aineena käsityö...

Vacancies (in finnish)

Events