Finnish railway news
News about railway, metro and tram infrastructure, operations, policy, projects and the supply industry in Finland, from Railway Gazette International.
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NewsŠkoda challenges its exclusion from Helsinki tram procurement
FINLAND: Škoda Transtech has filed a legal complaint following the disqualification of its bid for a contract to supply up to 183 trams to Helsinki.
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In depthFinland: Standard gauge rail links are on the agenda
Reflecting pressure from NATO and the EU to improve interoperability, Finland’s Minister of Transport Lulu Ranne has announced studies for standard gauge lines in northern Finland, with the priority being a link to Tornio on the Swedish border. Benjámin Zelki investigates.
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NewsFinnish rolling stock owning company transfer agreed
FINLAND: National train operator VR Group is to transfer the entire shareholding of its rolling stock subsidiary Suomen Ostoliikennekalusto to direct state ownership on November 1.
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NewsHelsinki selects Stadler to supply up to 183 trams styled for the city
FINLAND: Helsinki metropolitan area transport operator Pääkaupunkiseudun Kaupunkiliikenne has selected Stadler for a major contract to supply and maintain 63 Tango Nordic trams customised to the city’s requirements, with options for up to 120 more.
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NewsRolling stock company formed to facilitate competition in the Finnish passenger market
FINLAND: Rolling stock owning company Suomen Ostoliikennekalusto has been created to facilitate government plans to tender the operation of publicly-funded passenger rail services.
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Metro Report InternationalPineapple tram conversion to de-ice light rail line
FINLAND: Helsinki transport operator Kaupunkiliikenne’s maintenance division has converted an old tram into a overhead electrification de-icing vehicle for use on light rail Line 15. The original tram dates from the 1980s. The conversion involved removing the seats and a central low-floor section which had been ...
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Metro Report InternationalCrown Bridges tram deliveries begin
FINLAND: Škoda Transtech’s Otanmäki factory has delivered the first of 23 ForCity Smart Artic X54 trams ordered for Helsinki’s future Crown Bridges light rail line. Following testing, the tram will initially be used in revenue service on Route 13 from Kalasatama to Pasila. Deliveries are to ...
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NewsAllegro trainsets to return to service as Pendolino Plus
FINLAND: National operator VR is to return to traffic four Alstom Sm6 trainsets that were used on the Helsinki – St Petersburg Allegro service until it ceased operating following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The seven-car dual-voltage trainsets were operated by the Karelian Trains 50:50 joint ...
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NewsComposite fishplate certified to latest standard
FINLAND: Exel Composites says it is the first company to obtain the latest EN16843 certification for a glass fibre composite rail joint. The updated EU standard for insulated and non-insulated rail joints includes tougher requirements for mechanical and electrical performance. These are designed to address higher ...
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Metro Report InternationalHelsinki takes light rail northeast
FINLAND: Sweco has won a framework contract to provide design and engineering services for expansion of Helsinki’s light rail network. Projects cover up to 30 route-km, including the Malmin-Jakomaen network serving northeast districts of the city. Helsinki’s Urban Environment Committee discussed the plans on November 26, ...
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NewsHeavy duty wagons ordered for military transport in the Arctic
EUROPE: Finland’s VR FleetCare has won an international tender to design and build wagons for the transport of tanks and other heavy military equipment in Arctic conditions. The order placed by Norwegian rail infrastructure manager Bane Nor on December 20 on behalf of the Norwegian and ...
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Rail Business UKRail cyber-resilience collaboration
INTERNATIONAL: A memorandum of understanding to collaborate on enhancing the cyber-resilience of rail operations was signed by rail cybersecurity specialist RazorSecure, Mitsubishi Electric Corp, Mitsubishi Electric Europe and EKE Electronics during the 18th UK-Japan Rail Working Group hosted by the Department for Transport in London on ...
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NewsVR sells road freight business to focus on rail
FINLAND: VR has agreed to sell its road logistics business to München-based private equity company Mutares as part of the national train operator’s strategy to focus on its core business of passenger and freight transport by rail. Completion of the deal announced on November 15 is ...
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NewsFirmer plans for Finnish rolling stock company
FINLAND: Plans are firming up for the creation of a rolling stock owning company which is intended to facilitate competition by making it easier for companies to enter the Finnish rail operating market. VR Group is co-operating with the project to create the rolling stock company, ...
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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 ...