Finland and Sweden reconnect by rail for first time in decades

A new passenger train service linking Finland and Sweden has launched, marking the first direct rail connection between northern Finland and southern Europe in nearly 40 years. The inaugural double-decker train departed from the coastal city of Oulu shortly after 5 a.m. local time on Monday, crossing the Torne river into Sweden and arriving at Haparanda station, where crowds waved Finnish and Swedish flags.

The route had been suspended since the late 1980s or early 1990s, largely due to low passenger numbers and differences in track widths. Finland uses a wider gauge than the European standard, a legacy from its time as part of the Russian Grand Duchy. The country is now working to update its tracks to match European standards.

The new service runs twice daily and takes 100 minutes, hugging Finland's west coast before crossing the border. Passengers continuing south from Haparanda must transfer to another train. The route enables a roughly 5,000-kilometer rail journey from Portugal's Algarve to Finland's northernmost station at Kolari, believed to be the longest in Europe. It also allows a 24-hour trip between Helsinki and Stockholm.

Finland's transport minister said the service shows growing cooperation between the two countries. Elisa Markula, CEO of state-owned railway operator VR, expressed hope that the route would benefit from a broader European rail revival, noting that passenger numbers in Finland are rising significantly.