OULU, Finland — Direct passenger train services between Finland and Sweden resumed Sunday, Aug. 10, connecting the northern cities of Oulu and Haaparanta for the first time in decades.
The new route runs two daily services in each direction between Oulu and Haaparanta. Passenger trains have also returned to the center of Tornio, Finland, for the first time in many years.
The Finnish government largely funded the new tendered traffic, which aims to improve train connections across northern Finland. The cities of Tornio and Oulu, along with the Sea Lapland Development Centre, also contributed financing.
Traficom, the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency, integrated the new services into its existing tendered traffic agreement with VR, the national railway company.
Pipsa Eklund, development director at Traficom, said the agency was pleased to open the route and is monitoring passenger interest in the new connection.
Juho Hannukainen, director of new traffic at VR, said the route opens connections between Finland and Sweden, simplifies travel between the university cities of Oulu and Luleå, and enables onward journeys from Oulu to Helsinki.
The mayors of Tornio and Oulu, Jukka Kujala and Ari Alatossava, along with Sari Moisanen, regional manager of Sea Lapland, said the rail connection will improve links from northern Finland to Sweden and Norway, enhancing ties between Tornio, Oulu and Haaparanta.
Establishing the cross-border service required close cooperation between Finnish and Swedish authorities, including coordination on customs and border crossing procedures and technical details related to rail operations.
Further improvements are planned for December, when transfer connections in Haaparanta are set to improve, facilitating travel on Swedish Norrtåg services to Luleå.
Tickets for the Oulu-Haaparanta route went on sale Tuesday, June 30. Timetables and tickets are available through VR's trip search portal and the VR Matkalla app.
Celebrations were held at stations along the route to mark the resumption of services, with speeches, music and catering in Tornio, Haaparanta and Oulu during the morning.
The route includes stops in Oulu, Kemi, Tornio-Itäinen, Tornio and Haaparanta, Sweden.
