Rail transport in Finland
Encyclopedia
The Finnish railway network consists of a total of 5,919 km of railways built with Russian gauge
track. Passenger trains are operated by the private state-owned VR Group
. They serve all the major cities and many rural areas, though railway connections are available to fewer places than bus connections. Most passenger train services originate or terminate at Helsinki Central railway station
, and a large proportion of the passenger rail network radiates out of Helsinki. VR also operates freight services. Maintenance and construction of the railway network itself is the responsibility of the Finnish Rail Administration
, which is a part of the Finnish Transport Agency . The network is divided in six areal centres, that manage the use and maintenance of the routes in co-operation. Cargo yards and large stations may have their own signalling systems.
Finnish trains have a reputation for being spacious, comfortable and clean. The scenery surrounding the railway lines is considered to be of outstanding natural beauty, especially in Eastern Finland
where there are many lakes. Because in most parts of Finland the density of population is low, Finland is not very well suited for railways. Commuter services are nowadays rare outside the Helsinki
area, but there are express train connections between most of the cities. As in France
, passenger services are mostly connections from various parts of the country to the capital, Helsinki. Currently there are c. 260 passenger round trips driven daily in Finland, excluding Helsinki commuter rail
. Nightly passenger trains only operate on the busiest lines between Helsinki or Turku via Oulu to Lapland (minimum distance of c. 650 km (405 mi.)). This leaves most of the tracks free for nightly freight traffic (c.40 M tons/y). In addition there are also good ExpressBus
and aeroplane connections, both of which are generally little or a lot more expensive than trains. Buses are sometimes faster and/or cheaper than trains (e.g. Helsinki–Pori
).
The first rail line between Helsinki and Hämeenlinna
was opened on January 31, 1862. As Finland was then the Grand Duchy of Finland
; a region of Imperial Russia, railways were built to the broad Russian track gauge of . An extension from Riihimäki
to the new Finland Station in Saint Petersburg
was opened in 1870.
However, the Finnish and Russian rail systems remained unconnected until 1912. Russian trains could not have used the Finnish rail network due to a narrower load gauge. Later the Finnish load gauge was widened to match the Russian load gauge, with hundreds of station platforms or tracks moved further away from each other.
Further expansion occurred in the 1800s and by 1900 much of the network had been constructed with 3,300 km of track built.
The Finland Railway Bridge
across the River Neva in Saint Petersburg, opened in 1912, connected the Finnish State Railways to Russian Railways
. Following Finnish independence, the Russian part of the line was handed over to Russian authorities.
has a monopoly on passenger transport. In Helsinki local traffic, class Sm5 EMUs are owned by Pääkaupunkiseudun Junakalusto Oy, but are operated by VR. The new class Sm6 Allegro trains are owned and operated by Karelian Trains
, a 50/50 joint venture of VR and Russian railway company RZD. The trains are operated by VR personnel while on Finnish soil.
While private rail operators can transport freight, most of the trains are run by VR. One private railway company exists in Finland, the Karhula–Sunila Railroad, a short branch line with freight traffic only, in Karhula, near Kotka
. The branch line is not managed by the Finnish Transport Authority, but by the railway owner.
Several museum railways exist that are unrelated to VR Group.
50 Hz AC overhead wiring
, with wire height varying from 5.6 m (18.4 ft) to 6.5 m (21.3 ft). The largest class of electric locomotives are the Sr1
locomotives that were taken into use in 1973. They are now supplemented by the Sr2
class and the high-speed Sm3
Pendolino
units.
The first electric trains started to operate on in Helsinki local traffic, initially between Helsinki and Kirkkonummi
and slowly extending to Riihimäki on . Heading northwards, the electric wires reached Seinäjoki
in 1975, Kokkola
in 1981, Oulu
in 1983 and eventually their northernmost point at Rovaniemi
in 2004. The most recent electrification took place on the Rovaniemi
-Kemijärvi line. As of May 2011, the line from Seinäjoki
to Vaasa
is being electrified.
and winter due to weather conditions.
900), a train protection system usually referred to as JKV which has to be used on rolling stock. The system is set to be upgraded to ERTMS/ETCS in the upcoming years, however later than in other European countries due to the low age of the current train protection system. The first ETCS units are set to be installed in rolling stock during 2013, and the first ERTMS signalled portion of track should be opened between 2019 and 2025.
Russia is the most important adjacent country regarding railway traffic. The freight traffic is much more intensive between Russia and Finland, compared to between Sweden and Finland. There are several daily passenger trains between Russia and Finland, but none between Sweden and Finland.
Russian gauge
In railway terminology, Russian gauge refers to railway track with a gauge between 1,520 mm and . In a narrow sense as defined by Russian Railways it refers to gauge....
track. Passenger trains are operated by the private state-owned VR Group
VR Group
VR or VR Group is a state-owned railway company in Finland. Formerly known as Suomen Valtion Rautatiet until 1922 and Valtionrautatiet / Statsjärnvägarna until 1995...
. They serve all the major cities and many rural areas, though railway connections are available to fewer places than bus connections. Most passenger train services originate or terminate at Helsinki Central railway station
Helsinki Central railway station
Helsinki Central railway station is a widely recognised landmark in central Helsinki, Finland, and the focal point of public transport in the Greater Helsinki area. The station is used by approximately 200,000 passengers per day, making it Finland's most-visited building...
, and a large proportion of the passenger rail network radiates out of Helsinki. VR also operates freight services. Maintenance and construction of the railway network itself is the responsibility of the Finnish Rail Administration
Finnish Rail Administration
The Finnish Transport Agency is responsible for the maintenance of Finland's transport system. The Agency took over from the Finnish Rail Administration and parts of the work of the former Finnish Maritime Administration and the Finnish Road Administration on 1 January 2010.- Rail...
, which is a part of the Finnish Transport Agency . The network is divided in six areal centres, that manage the use and maintenance of the routes in co-operation. Cargo yards and large stations may have their own signalling systems.
Finnish trains have a reputation for being spacious, comfortable and clean. The scenery surrounding the railway lines is considered to be of outstanding natural beauty, especially in Eastern Finland
Eastern Finland
Eastern Finland was a province of Finland from 1997 to 2010. It bordered the provinces of Oulu, Western Finland and Southern Finland. It also bordered Russia.- History :...
where there are many lakes. Because in most parts of Finland the density of population is low, Finland is not very well suited for railways. Commuter services are nowadays rare outside the Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
area, but there are express train connections between most of the cities. As in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, passenger services are mostly connections from various parts of the country to the capital, Helsinki. Currently there are c. 260 passenger round trips driven daily in Finland, excluding Helsinki commuter rail
Helsinki commuter rail
Helsinki commuter rail is the commuter rail system serving Greater Helsinki, Finland. The network is operated by VR, the Finnish national railway company. Together with the Helsinki Metro and trams, the network forms the heart of Helsinki's public transportation infrastructure.Trains run above...
. Nightly passenger trains only operate on the busiest lines between Helsinki or Turku via Oulu to Lapland (minimum distance of c. 650 km (405 mi.)). This leaves most of the tracks free for nightly freight traffic (c.40 M tons/y). In addition there are also good ExpressBus
ExpressBus
ExpressBus is a Finnish express coach network covering most of Finland. It is a joint marketing brand of 23 coach operators and it was launched in 1991. The fleet has around 300 coaches with a white base colour and a red-blue arrow. The Savonlinja Group with Pohjolan Liikenne are two of the largest...
and aeroplane connections, both of which are generally little or a lot more expensive than trains. Buses are sometimes faster and/or cheaper than trains (e.g. Helsinki–Pori
Pori
Pori is a city and municipality on the west coast of Finland. The city is located some from the Gulf of Bothnia, on the estuary of the Kokemäenjoki river, which is the largest in Finland. Pori is the most important town in the Satakunta region....
).
History
Hämeenlinna
Hämeenlinna is a city and municipality of about inhabitants in the heart of the historical province of Häme in the south of Finland and is the birthplace of composer Jean Sibelius. Today, it belongs to the region of Tavastia Proper, and until 2010 it was the residence city for the Governor of the...
was opened on January 31, 1862. As Finland was then the Grand Duchy of Finland
Grand Duchy of Finland
The Grand Duchy of Finland was the predecessor state of modern Finland. It existed 1809–1917 as part of the Russian Empire and was ruled by the Russian czar as Grand Prince.- History :...
; a region of Imperial Russia, railways were built to the broad Russian track gauge of . An extension from Riihimäki
Riihimäki
Riihimäki is a town and municipality in the south of Finland, about north of Helsinki and southeast of Tampere. It is somewhat of a railway junction, since the railway tracks going from different parts of the nation to Helsinki merge there. Sako, Ltd...
to the new Finland Station in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
was opened in 1870.
However, the Finnish and Russian rail systems remained unconnected until 1912. Russian trains could not have used the Finnish rail network due to a narrower load gauge. Later the Finnish load gauge was widened to match the Russian load gauge, with hundreds of station platforms or tracks moved further away from each other.
Further expansion occurred in the 1800s and by 1900 much of the network had been constructed with 3,300 km of track built.
The Finland Railway Bridge
Finland Railway Bridge
The Finland Railway Bridge are a pair of parallel bridges across the Neva River in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The bridges link the railway networks in the north of St Petersburg with those in the south of St Petersburg...
across the River Neva in Saint Petersburg, opened in 1912, connected the Finnish State Railways to Russian Railways
Russian Railways
The Russian Railways , is the government owned national rail carrier of the Russian Federation, headquartered in Moscow. The Russian Railways operate over of common carrier routes as well as a few hundred kilometers of industrial routes, making it the second largest network in the world exceeded...
. Following Finnish independence, the Russian part of the line was handed over to Russian authorities.
Operators
The national railway company VRVR Group
VR or VR Group is a state-owned railway company in Finland. Formerly known as Suomen Valtion Rautatiet until 1922 and Valtionrautatiet / Statsjärnvägarna until 1995...
has a monopoly on passenger transport. In Helsinki local traffic, class Sm5 EMUs are owned by Pääkaupunkiseudun Junakalusto Oy, but are operated by VR. The new class Sm6 Allegro trains are owned and operated by Karelian Trains
Karelian Trains
Oy Karelian Trains Ltd is a joint venture agreed on 23 November 2006 between Russian Railways and VR Group to facilitate the operation of international express passenger rail services between Helsinki, Finland and Saint Petersburg, Russia. Karelian Trains is registered in Helsinki, VR and RZhD...
, a 50/50 joint venture of VR and Russian railway company RZD. The trains are operated by VR personnel while on Finnish soil.
While private rail operators can transport freight, most of the trains are run by VR. One private railway company exists in Finland, the Karhula–Sunila Railroad, a short branch line with freight traffic only, in Karhula, near Kotka
Kotka
Kotka is a town and municipality of Finland. Its former name is Rochensalm.Kotka is located on the coast of the Gulf of Finland at the mouth of Kymi River and it is part of the Kymenlaakso region in southern Finland. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water....
. The branch line is not managed by the Finnish Transport Authority, but by the railway owner.
Several museum railways exist that are unrelated to VR Group.
Rail network size
- Total track length including sidings 8816 track-km
- Total length of railway routes 5919 km
- Electrified routes 3067 km
Electrification
While some private Finnish railways were electrified already at the end of the 19th century, work on the electrification of the main rail network started only in the late 1960s. Most main lines are now electrified. The system used is 25 kV25 kV AC
The 25 kV Alternating current railway electrification system is commonly used in railways worldwide, especially for high-speed rail.-Overview:This electrification system is ideal for railways that cover long distances and/or carry heavy traffic...
50 Hz AC overhead wiring
Overhead lines
Overhead lines or overhead wires are used to transmit electrical energy to trams, trolleybuses or trains at a distance from the energy supply point...
, with wire height varying from 5.6 m (18.4 ft) to 6.5 m (21.3 ft). The largest class of electric locomotives are the Sr1
VR Class Sr1
The Sr1 is a class of electric locomotives built for VR . These 25kV locomotives were built in the Soviet Union at the Novocherkassk Electric Locomotive Factory between 1973 and 1985...
locomotives that were taken into use in 1973. They are now supplemented by the Sr2
VR Class Sr2
The Sr2 is a class of electric locomotives of the VR Group. They were built by SLM / ABB and later by Adtranz and finally Bombardier Transportation and assembled by Transtech Oy...
class and the high-speed Sm3
VR Class Sm3
The Sm3 Pendolino is a class of high-speed body-tilting trains operated by VR Group. It is a member of the Pendolino train family; its design is based on the ETR 460. The first two trainsets were assembled in Finland by Rautaruukki-Transtech in the mid-1990s...
Pendolino
Pendolino
Pendolino is an Italian family of tilting trains used in Italy, Spain, Portugal, Slovenia, Finland, Russian Federation, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, Slovakia, Switzerland, China and shortly in Romania and Poland...
units.
The first electric trains started to operate on in Helsinki local traffic, initially between Helsinki and Kirkkonummi
Kirkkonummi
Kirkkonummi is a municipality of inhabitants in southern Finland. The literal meaning of the words "Kirkkonummi" and "Kyrkslätt" in English is "church moor"....
and slowly extending to Riihimäki on . Heading northwards, the electric wires reached Seinäjoki
Seinäjoki railway station
The Seinäjoki railway station is located in the centre of city of Seinäjoki, Finland, at Valtionkatu 1. The current station building was built in the 1970s, and it is located in the same building as the bus station. In the 2000s, the building was renovated as a modern travel centre.Seinäjoki is a...
in 1975, Kokkola
Kokkola
Kokkola is a town and municipality of Finland.The town is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Central Ostrobothnia region. The town has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is...
in 1981, Oulu
Oulu railway station
The Oulu Railway Station is located in the centre of Oulu, Finland, in the city district of Vaara. All trains are operated by VR. Nearby is the bus station for long-distance buses....
in 1983 and eventually their northernmost point at Rovaniemi
Rovaniemi railway station
Rovaniemi railway station is located in Rovaniemi, Finland. The line from the south opened in 1909; it is now the northernmost point of VR's electrified railway system, with direct daytime and overnight passenger trains to Oulu, Tampere, Helsinki and Turku...
in 2004. The most recent electrification took place on the Rovaniemi
Rovaniemi
Rovaniemi is a city and municipality of Finland. It is the administrative capital and commercial centre of Finland's northernmost province, Lapland. It is situated close to the Arctic Circle and is between the hills of Ounasvaara and Korkalovaara, at the confluence of the Kemijoki River and its...
-Kemijärvi line. As of May 2011, the line from Seinäjoki
Seinäjoki
Seinäjoki is a city located in Southern Ostrobothnia, Finland. Seinäjoki originated around the Östermyra bruk iron and gunpowder factories founded in 1798. Seinäjoki became a municipality in 1868, market town in 1931 and town in 1960...
to Vaasa
Vaasa
Vaasa is a city on the west coast of Finland. It received its charter in 1606, during the reign of Charles IX of Sweden and is named after the Royal House of Vasa...
is being electrified.
Running speeds
The maximum speed for passenger traffic is 220 km/h (136.7 mph), but is achieved only between Kerava and Lahti. Freight trains have a maximum speed of 120 km/h (74.6 mph). Actual speedlimits vary depending on the train type and track portion. Some delays can occur in autumnSlippery rail
Slippery rail is a condition of railways caused by fallen moist leaves that lie on and cling to the top surface of the rails of railway tracks. The condition results in significant loss of friction between train wheels and rails, and in extreme cases can render the track temporarily unusable...
and winter due to weather conditions.
Safety
The signalling system used on the railway network in Finland comprises color-light signals and fixed signs. They are used together with ATP-VR/RHK (EBICABEBICAB
EBICAB is a trade mark registered by Bombardier for the equipment on board a train used as a part of a Automatic Train Control system. EBICAB was originally derived from Ericsson's SLR system in Sweden. Most trains in Sweden an Norway uses a similar on-board system, Ansaldo L10000 from...
900), a train protection system usually referred to as JKV which has to be used on rolling stock. The system is set to be upgraded to ERTMS/ETCS in the upcoming years, however later than in other European countries due to the low age of the current train protection system. The first ETCS units are set to be installed in rolling stock during 2013, and the first ERTMS signalled portion of track should be opened between 2019 and 2025.
Railway links to adjacent countries
- Same gauge
-
Russia RussiaRail transport in RussiaThe Russian railways are one of the economic wonders of the 19th, 20th, and 21st century world. In length of track they are second globally to the railways of the United States. In volume of freight hauled, they are third behind the United States and China, using the standard measure of...
– small break of gauge /. This is within the tolerances and through running is done.
-
- Break of gauge
-
Sweden SwedenRail transport in SwedenRail transport in Sweden uses a network of 13,000 km of track, the 20th largest in the world. Construction of the first railway line in Sweden began in 1855. The major operator is the state-owned SJ AB....
– break of gauge – / (standard gaugeStandard gaugeThe standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
); change of voltage 25 kV AC25 kV ACThe 25 kV Alternating current railway electrification system is commonly used in railways worldwide, especially for high-speed rail.-Overview:This electrification system is ideal for railways that cover long distances and/or carry heavy traffic...
/15 kV AC15 kV ACThe AC railway electrification system is used in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden and Norway. The high voltage enables high power transmission with low losses powering traction motors available since the beginning of the 20th century...
, however there are no electrified lines that cross the border. There are also train ferriesTrain ferryA train ferry is a ship designed to carry railway vehicles. Typically, one level of the ship is fitted with railway tracks, and the vessel has a door at the front and/or rear to give access to the wharves. In the United States, train ferries are sometimes referred to as "car ferries", as...
to Stockholm and standard gauge track at the ferry terminal at TurkuTurkuTurku is a city situated on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River. It is located in the region of Finland Proper. It is believed that Turku came into existence during the end of the 13th century which makes it the oldest city in Finland... -
Norway NorwayRail transport in NorwayThe Norwegian railway system comprises 4,087 km of track of which 2,622 km is electrified and 242 km double track. There are 696 tunnels and 2760 bridges....
– indirectly through Sweden.
-
- Proposed
-
Estonia EstoniaRail transport in EstoniaThe rail transport system in Estonia consists of circa of railway lines, of which are currently in public use. The infrastructure of the railway network is mostly owned by the state and is regulated and surveyed by the Estonian Railway Inspectorate ....
through a proposed tunnel between HelsinkiHelsinkiHelsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
and TallinnTallinnTallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
.
-
Russia is the most important adjacent country regarding railway traffic. The freight traffic is much more intensive between Russia and Finland, compared to between Sweden and Finland. There are several daily passenger trains between Russia and Finland, but none between Sweden and Finland.
See also
- VR GroupVR GroupVR or VR Group is a state-owned railway company in Finland. Formerly known as Suomen Valtion Rautatiet until 1922 and Valtionrautatiet / Statsjärnvägarna until 1995...
- List of railway lines in Finland
- Finnish Railway MuseumFinnish Railway MuseumThe Finnish Railway Museum is located in Hyvinkää, Finland. It was originally founded in 1898 and located in Helsinki. The museum was moved to Hyvinkää in 1974.The museum is on the original station and yard site of the Hanko–Hyvinkää railway...
- Finnish Rail AdministrationFinnish Rail AdministrationThe Finnish Transport Agency is responsible for the maintenance of Finland's transport system. The Agency took over from the Finnish Rail Administration and parts of the work of the former Finnish Maritime Administration and the Finnish Road Administration on 1 January 2010.- Rail...
- Finnish railway signallingFinnish railway signallingThe signalling system used on the railway network in Finland comprises color-light signals and fixed signs, used together with the Automatic Train Control system ATP-VR/RHK .-Main signals:...
- Transport in FinlandTransport in FinlandThe transport system of Finland is well-developed.The extensive road system is utilized by most internal cargo and passenger traffic. , the country's network of main roads has a total length of around and all public roads . The motorway network totals with additional reserved only for motor...
- List of Finnish municipalities without scheduled railway services