Dated 11.7.1934 (it was Wednesday), this letter was stamped at 16:00 in the evening and the flight has departed from Helsinki at 17:15 (during a period between 9.4.1934 and 15.8.1934) flying a route Helsinki – Turku – Stockholm and flown by Aero O/Y (later Finnair Oy). Arrival to Stockholm at 19:00 in the evening. The letter has then been transferred to an overnight train heading to Oslo. The train departure time from Stockholm was at 22:05 and it’s arrival to Oslo at 9:46 in the following morning.

The letter has an arrival postmark to Stockholm 11.7.1934 and also to Charlottenberg 12.7.1934. Charlottenberg is a tiny border town between Sweden and Norway and also happens to be a connection point between Swedish and Norwegian railway systems. It is not clear whether the postmark indicates a train switch or is it simply a mail processing indication. Other postmarks are unidentifiable so the latter part of this letter’s trip remains unknown; although someone has written the date 13.7.1934 on the cover perhaps indicating arrival to Kristiansund?

Kristiansund is a town in a municipality of the same name about 200km North-West of Oslo. The letter rate from Finland to other Nordic countries was 2 marks between 1.12.1931 and 31.3.1940. Additional air mail surcharge was 1 mark between 27.4.1928 – 30.9.1942. The M1930 definitive series stamps of 1,5 marks each thus form a correct rate. The 1,5 mark stamp was issued in 1932.

It is noteworthy that between a period of 1.5.1934 and 30.9.1934 also regular letters would be carried by air if possible during the days other than Saturday and Sunday. Providing the extra air fee and marking the letter clearly with “Par avion” markings would guarantee it’s sending via an air route; otherwise it was dependent on circumstances.