New train service connects Finland and Sweden for first time in decades

A new passenger train service has commenced operating between Finland and Sweden, marking the first rail link between northern Finland and southern Europe in nearly four decades. Shortly after 05:00 local time (03:00 BST) on Monday, a double-decker train departed from Oulu, a coastal Finnish city, and traversed the border into Sweden. The inaugural service crossed the Torne River and arrived at Haparanda station in Sweden, where it was greeted by enthusiastic crowds waving Finnish and Swedish flags.

The route had been dormant since the late 1980s to early 1990s, primarily due to dwindling passenger numbers and technical disparities in the tracks between Finland and Europe. Finland's railway system utilizes track widths similar to Russia's, which are wider than the European standard, a remnant of Finland's historical ties to the Russian Grand Duchy in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Currently, Finland is in the process of standardizing its track widths to align with European specifications.

The new, twice-daily train journey to Haparanda spans 100 minutes, meandering along Finland's west coast before crossing the border between the two Nordic neighbors. Travelers proceeding from Haparanda must transfer to a different train to continue their journey southward. However, the service enables a 5,000km train route from Portugal's Algarve to Finland's northernmost station, Kolari, which is considered the longest train route in Europe. Furthermore, the service facilitates a 24-hour train journey between Helsinki and Stockholm.

Finland's transport minister, Elisa Markula, emphasized that the reestablishment of the cross-border service underscores the growing cooperation between Finland and Sweden. Markula, CEO of Finland's state-owned railway operator VR, expressed optimism that the service will benefit from a resurgence in rail travel across Europe. She noted that passenger numbers in Finland are on the rise.