All Finland articles
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Metro Report InternationalTurku plans tram procurement
FINLAND: The city of Turku’s tramway project promoter Turun Raitiotie has begun market consultation ahead of the procurement of a fleet of trams. It plans to order 1 435 mm gauge trams 37 m long and 2 650 mm wide with a capacity of 220-260 passengers ...
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Metro Report InternationalTampere tramway extension plans could be scaled back
FINLAND: Plans for the third phase of the Tampere tramway could be scaled back, after the national government’s 2024-25 budget allocated €55m rather than the expected €100m. The planned 9·3 km, 11-stop extension to Suuppa in Pirkkala would be reduced to 4·7 km and five stops ...
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NewsVR to divest infrastructure assets to facilitate Finnish rail competition
FINLAND: ‘Our strategy focuses on profitability, growth and creating a values-based VR culture’, VR Group CEO Elisa Markula said when she the presented the national operator’s H1 2024 results on August 16 and set out plans to divest some assets to facilitate competition. With the opening ...
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Metro Report InternationalTram Route 13 is lucky for Helsinki
FINLAND: Tangential tram Route 13 serving northeast Helsinki opened on August 12. Developed at cost of €79·3m, it includes 4·5 km of new 1 000 mm gauge infrastructure in its route from the northern terminus at Maistraatintori (Pasila) to Nihti in the port area east of ...
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Metro Report InternationalDriverless tram operation demonstrated in depot
FINLAND: The driverless movement of a tram around the Tampere tramway’s depot has been demonstrated, with Škoda Group saying its ’marks a significant step towards full autonomy’. The Škoda ForCity Smart Artic X34 tram was set tasks remotely. It then moved around the depot ...
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NewsFinnish EMUs to have propane-based HVAC units
HVAC: Liebherr-Transportation Systems has developed its first series-produced heating, ventilation and air-conditioning units to use propane as an alternative to more environmentally harmful refrigerants. The concept was developed in co-operation with TÜV Süd. Stadler Polska has ordered 80 of the saloon HVAC units, 80 heat recovery ...
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NewsShunting robot deployed at Finnish port
FINLAND: Vollert Anlagenbau has supplied a Tandem DER 150 radio-controlled shunting robot to move trains being loaded with iron sulphate at the port of Pori in Finland. The 100 tonne machine has a Stage V-compliant diesel engine powering four electric motors on the four axles and ...
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NewsFinnish ETCS contract awarded
FINLAND: Siemens Mobility has been awarded a contract to deploy ETCS Level 2 and hybrid train detection on the first route which to be upgraded under the government’s Digirail project to replace legacy train control systems. Siemens Mobility said the 191 km route between Lielahti, Rauma ...
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NewsBogie maintenance contract
DENMARK: Regional operator Nordjyske Jernbaner A/S has awarded VR FleetCare a contract covering the overhaul of bogies and pneumatic components for its fleet of Alstom Coradia LINT multiple-units. The work will be undertaken by VR FleetCare’s Component Services business unit at facilities in Helsinki and Pieksämäki. ...
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NewsFinland’s VR takes over Helsinki – St Petersburg Allegro train fleet
FINLAND: National operator VR has taken over the four Sm6 trainsets which its Karelian Trains joint venture with Russian Railways previously used on Helsinki – St Petersburg services. The seven-car dual-voltage Alstom Pendolino tilting trainsets were used on the international service from 2010 until operations were ...
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Metro Report InternationalJokeri light rail line opens early and below budget
FINLAND: Helsinki Regional Transport opened its 25 km orbital light rail line serving the Helsinki-Espoo conurbation for revenue service on October 21, almost a year ahead of schedule. Running from Itäkeskus in eastern Helsinki to Keilaniemi in neighbouring Espoo to the west, the line is branded ...
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Metro Report InternationalTurku council backs light rail proposal
FINLAND: Turku city council has approved the further development of plans for a light rail line. The proposal was approved by the city council on October 2 after two years of development and consultation. The double-track-line would run 12 km from Satama in the west through ...
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Metro Report InternationalTampere tramway extension planning contract awarded
FINLAND: Two local authorities and project promoter Tampereen Ratikka have appointed an alliance of Sweco, YIT, AFRY and NRC Group to support the €12·5m development of proposals for the third phase of the Tampere tramway. One proposed extension would run 9·3 km from the city centre ...
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NewsPrivate operator’s Vectron locomotive arrives in Finland
FINLAND: What future operator Fenniarail says is the first electric locomotive to be acquired by a private operator in Finland arrived at the port of Hanko from Germany on September 17. Fenniarail ordered the Siemens Mobility Vectron electric locomotive in September 2022. The 1 524 mm ...
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Metro Report InternationalFirst phase of Tampere tramway extension opens
FINLAND: The first stage of the 6·7 km Pyynikintori – Lentävänniemi extension of the Tampere tram network opened on August 7, running 2 km to Santalahti and adding three stops. Construction began in November 2020, and opening celebrations were held on August 6. Work on the ...
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Metro Report InternationalVantaa votes to proceed with tram plan
FINLAND: Vantaa council has backed the development of a tramway in the city, which is part of the Helsinki capital area. The council voted 41:26 in favour of the project on May 22. The line would run for 19·3 km from Helsinki-Vantaa Airport to the Jumbo ...
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NewsPrecise planning pays off as Finnish wood trains launch
FINLAND: National freight operator VR Transpoint has launched a ‘fine-tuned’ service transporting round wood by train to Metsä Group’s new Kemi bioproduct mill. The mill is due to start operation in Q3 2023, producing 1·5 million tonnes of pulp per year along with 2·0 TWh of ...
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NewsFirst Dr19 diesel locomotive enters service
FINLAND: The first of 60 Class Dr19 diesel locomotives being supplied by Stadler has entered revenue service with national operator VR, hauling round wood from Kemi to Kolari on May 3. In April 2019 VR awarded Stadler a €220m contract to supply 60 of the centre-cab ...
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NewsConverting Finland’s rail network to standard gauge is not financially viable, study finds
FINLAND: A study has concluded that converting the 1 524 mm broad gauge national railway network to the European standard of 1 435 mm would not be financially viable. Recognising that regauging would facilitate international passenger and freight traffic and could simplify rolling stock procurement, the ...
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In depthNurminen sees opportunities for growth following acquisition of Operail Finland
FINLAND: Nurminen Logistics says its purchase of Estonian national freight operator Operail’s Finnish business has attracted great interest from its customers in Finland, central Europe and China. Nurminen announced the completion of the transaction on February 14, saying it was now a full-service rail freight operator ...