Finland-Sweden cross-border passenger rail services resume after nearly 4 decades

Passenger train services between Finland and Sweden resumed on Monday after a nearly 40-year suspension, restoring a cross-border rail link in the far north of the two Nordic countries.

Passenger rail traffic across the Tornio-Haparanda border was suspended in 1988 after becoming economically unviable amid growing reliance on private cars. The service, operated by Finnish state-owned railway company VR, is part of a government-supported public transport contract covering routes that are not commercially viable. The new service also enables onward rail travel from Finland to Sweden and other parts of Europe. Finland has also considered introducing the European standard gauge on parts of its northern railway network.