[SE/FI] Planning begins on Laurila-Haparanda electrification

[jamesontheroad]

Trafikverket (Sweden's Transport Agency) and Väylävirasto (Finland's transport infrastructure agency) have announced that planning has started on the electrification of the railway from Laurila to Tornio and over the bridge to Haparanda station.

Preparing construction documents begins now, and construction will start in spring 2024, completing in October 2024. We can maybe be hopeful for VR passenger traffic to connect Kemi and/or Oulu and Haparanda by the start of the December 2024 timetable. It is not yet clear whether VR will start with only local trains or some kind of intercity service. Trains to Kolari will still need to be diesel-hauled.

Info (in Swedish, from Trafikverket): https://www.trafikverket.se/vara-pr...lektrifiering-och-plattform-for-finsk-trafik/

Info about preceding preparatory works (also in Swedish, from Väylävirasto): https://vayla.fi/sv/laurila-tornea-haparanda

 

[JonasB]

Even if we just end up with a local train from Haparanda to Kemi, that is a huge improvement compared to today. Especially if the schedules match so Luleå-Kemi becomes an easy trip with one change in Haparanda.

 

[rf_ioliver]

I guess it might be Haparanda-Oulu rather than just to Kemi, either way, going to be interesting to see how this fits in with the timetable overall - might be worth having a quick look at the current departure times from Haparanda and see how they fit in with what already exists. Not sure much stock is available at the moment - can't see any of the Sm4 or Sm5 units going there and would VR use any remaining Sm1/Sm2 units?

Let's also see what the budget looks like after the election too.

 

[dutchflyer]

Having done this trip as SE->FI on my very first Scandinavia trip-on a ScanRailPass, long, long ago, I was surprised that even the now running bus would not just cross border into what is announced as an International train/bus station in Haparanda/Haappaaranttaa (or the like, the Finnish translation) but ends as a loop in Tornio-town. Perhaps even set up with some EU-assistance for forgotten faraway regions. Where cheap catering is provided by another giant IKEA superstore right beside. This judging from several questions posted on the interrailforum/community.
I also vaguely remember that at that time Boden was a kind of Swedish military zone and as a foreigner (that was long before SE entered EU) you could only quickly change trains or the like.

 

[JonasB]

Even an Sm1/2 would be better than the current offer, which is no trains at all. Although from my point of view it would be a perfect route for Sm4 if VR has any to spare.

But with VRs monopoly and the local governments not being allowed to procure traffic I have to say I'm not that optimistic.

 

[rf_ioliver]

Even an Sm1/2 would be better than the current offer, which is no trains at all. Although from my point of view it would be a perfect route for Sm4 if VR has any to spare.

But with VRs monopoly and the local governments not being allowed to procure traffic I have to say I'm not that optimistic.

They've just ordered new regional trains, so there's a possibility. Though I think these are all for the Helsinki region to extend the Sm4/Sm5 fleet and remove the Sm1/Sm2 completely.

IIUC, a few Sm1/Sm2 have been sold to the company that will run Turku-Uusikaupunki from 2014 and the Sm4s go to Kotka-Kouvola (??)

 

[jamesontheroad]

As @rf_ioliver says, there are new trains coming to the Helsinki region so by 2024 there should be some slack in the VR fleet.

Apart from needing to upgrade the Finnish platform at Haparanda (part of the project announced this week) VR could operate a diesel train across the border today, but all the Dm12 railcars (built in the Czech Republic by ČKD, now Škoda) are all accounted for on low-capacity rural routes. (And they are not that good, to be honest.)