As it is not reachable by road, and as the municipality is not otherwise connected by rail, Finse is not easily accessible from the rest of Ulvik or from elsewhere in the Hardanger region.

Tourist facilities include a hotel (Finse 1222), a hostel (Finsehytta) operated by the Norwegian Mountain Touring Association (DNT), as well as a number of private cabins.

When opened, the tunnel replaced a section of rail that was frequently blocked by snow and difficult to clear, causing delays and cancellations on the railway.

According to the BBC, explorers Roald Amundsen, Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton all trained for their expeditions at Finse.

Originally built around the turn of the twentieth century as an access road for the workers constructing the railway, Rallarvegen has been open to the public as a bicycle trail since 1974 following a volunteer effort in the 1960s and 1970s.

During the winter, Finse is popular for cross-country skiing, snowkiting (due to its location on the edge of the frozen lake Finsevatnet) and expedition training.

Owing to its high altitude and cold climate, Finse is a centre for teaching and academic work on high-altitude biology.