A new passenger train service connecting Finland and Sweden has begun operating, marking the first rail link between northern Finland and southern Europe in almost four decades.
Shortly after 05:00 local time (04:00 BST) on Monday, the inaugural double-decker service departed from the coastal Finnish city of Oulu, travelling across the border into Sweden. As the train crossed the Torne river and arrived at Sweden's Haparanda station, it was greeted by crowds waving Finnish and Swedish flags.
The route had previously been suspended between the late 1980s and early 1990s, a decision attributed to low passenger numbers and technical differences between the rail networks of the two countries.
Finland uses the same wider track gauge as Russia, a legacy of its history as part of the Russian Grand Duchy during the 19th and early 20th centuries. This differs from the standard European gauge, which has historically complicated direct rail links with its Nordic neighbour. Finland is currently in the process of updating its infrastructure to align with European standards.
The newly launched service runs twice daily and takes around 100 minutes, following Finland's west coast before crossing the border into Sweden. Passengers wishing to continue their journey southward from Haparanda will need to change onto a separate train.
Despite this necessary transfer, the new connection significantly extends the reach of Europe's rail network. It now makes it possible to travel around 5,000km by train from the Algarve region of Portugal to Kolari, Finland's northernmost railway station — understood to be the longest continuous rail route achievable in Europe.
The service also opens up the possibility of a 24-hour rail journey between the Nordic capitals of Helsinki and Stockholm, offering an alternative to air travel for passengers willing to make the longer overland trip.
Finland's transport minister said the resumption of the cross-border route reflected growing cooperation between the two countries, noting that collaboration between Finland and Sweden was continuing to develop.
Elisa Markula, chief executive of Finland's state-owned rail operator VR, said she hoped the new service would benefit from a wider resurgence in rail travel being seen across the continent.
"Train travelling in all Europe is having a renaissance. Also in Finland, our passenger numbers are increasing a lot," Markula told AFP.
The return of the Oulu-Haparanda link comes amid broader efforts across Europe to expand and reconnect rail networks, particularly for long-distance and cross-border travel, as more passengers look to rail as an alternative to short-haul flights.
For communities along the Finnish-Swedish border, the resumption of direct rail travel restores a transport option that had been unavailable for a generation, potentially easing journeys for both local residents and longer-distance travellers heading further into mainland Europe.
