A passenger rail link between Finland and Sweden has been restored, marking the first time these neighbors have been connected by train in almost 40 years. The service departed from Oulu, Finland, shortly after 5:00 a.m. local time on Monday, crossing the border into Haparanda, Sweden, where local residents greeted the train with flags.
Operations on this route were originally halted between the late 1980s and early 1990s because of low demand and incompatible track gauges. Finland has historically utilized wider track dimensions inherited from the Russian Grand Duchy era, though the country is currently working to align its infrastructure with European standards. The new route currently operates twice daily, with the trip to Haparanda lasting roughly 100 minutes. While travelers must switch trains in Haparanda to continue their journey, the connection creates a theoretical 5,000km rail corridor spanning from the Algarve in Portugal to Kolari in northern Finland.
Officials believe this connection will help facilitate a 24-hour route between Helsinki and Stockholm. Finland’s transport minister highlighted the restored service as evidence of tightening cooperation between the two nations, while Elisa Markula, head of the Finnish state railway operator VR, expressed optimism that the line would benefit from a broader resurgence in European rail travel.