Finland explores competition in passenger rail after 2030
With the current passenger rail service contracts expiring in 2030, publicly funded passenger rail traffic in Finland will need to be reorganised in 2031 to meet the European Union’s agreed-upon goals. The Finnish ministry of...Read more
Night train tickets to Finnish ski resorts in demand (and tax-free)
Finland’s national operator VR is seeing a big demand for night train services to the country’s major ski resorts. Demand is partly fuelled by the fact that tickets are tax-free until the end of April....Read more
VR chooses Škoda Transtech for new night trains
Finnish rail operator VR Group has decided to procure its new night train fleet at Škoda Transtech. A total of nine sleeper coaches, eight car-carrier coaches as well as spare parts, special tools, training and...Read more
Stadler to deliver 20 new FLIRT trains for Finnish VR Group
Finland’s national railway operator VR Group has signed a contract with Stadler for the delivery of 20 single-decker FLIRT trains with a value of 250 million euros. The electric multiple units will be used for...Read more
Finland’s first open-access rail operator prepares operations, what did their journey look like?
InterviewNewly founded operator Suomen Lähijunat Oy (Finland Commuter trains) has big plans in Finland. “We chipped away at the existing monopoly in Finland on the bus side, and we could very well be at a...Read more
VR sells 11 trains to new Finnish rail operator
Finland’s national operator VR Group has agreed on a deal with Suomen Lähijunat Oy to sell 11 Sm2 train units to the new rail operator. Suomen Lähijunat will repair and modernise the trains for new...Read more
Finland’s VR offers free ‘test’ tickets to lure commuters to the train
Finnish operator VR is offering free tickets for commuter trains, where train rides can be ‘tested’ free of charge for 24 hours on a predetermined day in an effort to convince people to choose the...Read more
Finland phases out rail freight traffic to Russia
Finland will completely stop rail freight transport to neighboring Russia in the nearby future. This was decided by the board of the Finnish railway company VR Group on Wednesday 6 April.Read more
Rail freight Finland-Russia resumes, UK sanctions don’t apply after all
UpdateThree days after suspending traffic between Finland and Russia, VR Transpoint will resume services effective Wednesday, 30 March. The decision to restart rail freight operations to and from Russia follows on consultation with the UK...Read more
Finland halts passenger and freight trains to Russia
Finnish operator VR Group has suspended all passenger and freight trains to Russia. On Sunday, the last Allegro train from St Petersburg to Helsinki left the station. Read more
Finnish VR Group takes over Arriva Sweden
VR Group from Finland is acquiring Swedish bus and railway company Arriva Sweden, previously owned by Deutsche Bahn. With the takeover of Sweden’s third largest train operator, VR Group wants to grow and strengthen its...Read more
European operators offer Ukrainian refugees free travel
Train operators from Germany, Poland, Hungary, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Finland and Lithuania have announced that refugees from Ukraine can travel for free. Also, a train service by the Czech RegioJet in cooperation with Ukrainian...Read more
Finland enters new PSO contract with VR
VR Group and the Finnish Ministry of Transport and Communications have reached an agreement on purchased transport services until 2030 under public service obligation (PSO). Finland’s national operator also commits itself to major fleet acquisitions,...Read more