[SE/FI] Updated: Haparanda - Tornio trains funded, expected to start 2026

[JonasB]

I would not count on there being Finnish passenger train to Haparanda this year. The current Finnish government is not really pro rail.

 

[JonasB]

A video of the electrification that might be of interest.

 

[Struner]

fine video, thanks for relaying.

 

[MoominAndChips]

Yle English news this morning:

New Swedish rail link ready for passengers — but funding still undecided

Finland's new rail link to Sweden has been ready for months — but passenger trains won't run until early 2026.

yle.fi

 

[rf_ioliver]

VR are masters at playing the funding game.... the paths for the trains are already allocated however.

 

[jpl]

I wonder if they will change the paths as they don't seem to fit Norrtåg schedules well. More planning is required in my opinion.

 

[stadler]

Is it known yet if it is planned for the Helsinki to Haparanda train to be a day train or a night train? I am hoping it is a day train in both directions. I have done Helsinki to Tornio before (as part of Helsinki to Stockholm) in both directions but had to split it up as Helsinki to Kemi and Kemi to Tornio to do it entirely by day trains. Considering that the Kolari train (which serves Tornio already) is a night train i am hoping that they make this a day train?

 

[jpl]

Is it known yet if it is planned for the Helsinki to Haparanda train to be a day train or a night train? I am hoping it is a day train in both directions. I have done Helsinki to Tornio before (as part of Helsinki to Stockholm) in both directions but had to split it up as Helsinki to Kemi and Kemi to Tornio to do it entirely by day trains. Considering that the Kolari train (which serves Tornio already) is a night train i am hoping that they make this a day train?

Latest published train paths are for Oulu to Haparanda day trains. Two daily trains per direction. So there would be a change of trains at Oulu for passengers to/from Helsinki.

 

[stadler]

Latest published train paths are for Oulu to Haparanda day trains. Two daily trains per direction. So there would be a change of trains at Oulu for passengers to/from Helsinki.

Ah thank you for the information. They made it sound like it was going to be a direct Hesinki to Haparanda train. That is good to hear. It should be possible to do Helsinki to Oulu to Haparanda to Boden in one day and then stay overnight and do Boden to Stockholm the following day or vice versa in the other direction.

 

[jpl]

Ah thank you for the information. They made it sound like it was going to be a direct Hesinki to Haparanda train. That is good to hear. It should be possible to do Helsinki to Oulu to Haparanda to Boden in one day and then stay overnight and do Boden to Stockholm the following day or vice versa in the other direction.

Yes that would be possible when coming from Helsinki on a day train. A train is planned to depart Oulu 19:50 and arrive Haparanda at 20:30 swedish local time connecting to the 20:50 Norrtåg train no 7187 for Boden and Luleå. Other way around Norrtåg's schedule doesn't really work together with the planned paths and the timings need to be adjusted. And the government or local authorities need to sort out the funding to actually run these trains on the Finnish side.

 

[jpl]

Finnish government is in the process of finalising its budget for next year. And again, there is no funding for the Oulu to Haparanda train. So this is highly unlikely to start.

 

[stadler]

Finnish government is in the process of finalising its budget for next year. And again, there is no funding for the Oulu to Haparanda train. So this is highly unlikely to start.

As an alternative for the time being could Norrtag simply extend their trains the short distance across the border from Haparanda station to Tornio station. That would still be an improvement to the current situation and could probably be done with very little cost. Haparanda to Tornio is only a couple minutes so you could easily extend all of the Norrtag trains without much change to the current timetables. Tornio station is an easy 15 minute walk from Tornio Itainen station where the daily trains to and from Helsinki depart.

 

[jpl]

As an alternative for the time being could Norrtag simply extend their trains the short distance across the border from Haparanda station to Tornio station. That would still be an improvement to the current situation and could probably be done with very little cost. Haparanda to Tornio is only a couple minutes so you could easily extend all of the Norrtag trains without much change to the current timetables. Tornio station is an easy 15 minute walk from Tornio Itainen station where the daily trains to and from Helsinki depart.

Sorry to say the track and bridge that led to the 1435 mm gauge platform in Tornio has been demolished in 2024.

 

[rvdborgt]

Tornio station is an easy 15 minute walk from Tornio Itainen station where the daily trains to and from Helsinki depart.

Last time I looked, that service was around 3 times a week.

 

[nwales58]

Tornio station is an easy 15 minute walk from Tornio Itainen station where the daily trains to and from Helsinki depart.

Last time I looked, that service was around 3 times a week.

also the existing situation is a wait of 3-5 hours between the trains, maybe a bit less if you use the bus to/from Lulea. From memory, there is a town bus from the morning arrival but nothing for the 2200-ish departure back to Helsinki.

I suggest trying the easy walk on anything other than a warm summer's day!

This can only work with Oulu-Haparanda trains, and even then the cross-border traffic will probably be so low that it could close again after a couple of years. I've only been during the summer holiday period when local Tornio-Kemi-onwards bus traffic seemed very slight.

 

[Coleridge]

I suggest trying the easy walk on anything other than a warm summer's day!

I walked from Haparanda station to Tornio-Itäinen in early February, dragging a suitcase, and it took just over an hour. There was deep snow, but the pavements and footpaths were fairly clear and it wasn't a difficult walk.

There were few passengers at either station: the train from Boden to Haparanda was almost empty, and I was literally the only person waiting at Tornio-Itäinen for the train south.


The international border at Haparanda-Tornio. (Sweden on this side of the bridge, Finland on the other.)


Tornio-Itäinen station, shortly before the arrival of the train to Helsinki.

 

[rf_ioliver]

Last time I looked, that service was around 3 times a week.

Depends on the time of year. In peak season it is usually every day (or has been...who knows VR's plans). Until 13.12 PYO 269 leaves Helsinki at 20h29 Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays

https://assets.ctfassets.net/gshi3wijcp49/30A1dXjBugQ4VVPofigAsu/22b6bf42f803349d921fde0d8400b438/VR_Aikataulutaulukot_11-08-2025_13-12-2025_v250703.pdf

 

[JonasB]

Sorry to say the track and bridge that led to the 1435 mm gauge platform in Tornio has been demolished in 2024.

And if the track remained, Norrtåg doesn't have any diesel trains anymore.

 

[MoominAndChips]

With the True Finns tail very much wagging the government dog, it's not surprising that they "can't" find money to help people cross the border.

 

[jpl]

In relation to this matter, a budget initiative has been made today. A member of parliament has proposed to add 600,000 euros to the Ministry of Transport and Communications' Transport and Communications Services budget to launch passenger train traffic between Oulu—Tornio—Haaparanta. We shall see what will happen...

The proposal (in Finnish): https://www.eduskunta.fi/FI/vaski/EduskuntaAloite/Sivut/TAA_244+2025.aspx

 

[jpl]

The budget initiative has today been accepted by the government. Funding of 1,900,000 euros is secured to launch Oulu–Haparanda passenger service.

The current budget is here (in Finnish), subsection 31.20.21: https://budjetti.vm.fi/sisalto.jsp?...ituksenEsitys.xml&opennode=0:1:79:341:361:363:

EDIT: link

 

[JonasB]

And if you don't speak Finnish, here you can read about it in English: https://valtioneuvosto.fi/sv/-/rege...budgetpropositionen-for-2026?languageId=en_US

 

[jpl]

The budget proposal needs to be approved by the Parliament, scheduled for December. Still, this is good news! Funding is expected to be sufficient for 4 daily trains: 2 trains from Oulu to Haparanda and 2 back to Oulu.

 

[Mainline421]

So when will this start? Dec 2025 would be very useful for me

 

[jpl]

So when will this start? Dec 2025 would be very useful for me

Earlier VR has stated it needs 4 months for planning, so it might be April-May 2026, but the exact date to be decided.

 

[stadler]

Is it known yet what rolling stock will run the new Oulu to Haparanda services? I would guess that possibly one of the DM12 units would be used? I presume the four daily trains (two in each direction) would be just be one diagram all worked by one unit?

 

[jamesontheroad]

Is it known yet what rolling stock will run the new Oulu to Haparanda services? I would guess that possibly one of the DM12 units would be used? I presume the four daily trains (two in each direction) would be just be one diagram all worked by one unit?

There now needs to be a process by which rendered service is procured and planned for.

VR are most likely to be the operator, but there is a Finnish open access operator who had targeted Oulu for a possible regional rail system who might be interested.

But whatever happens, it won’t be DM12, since a major part of the recent upgrades was the electrification the line. It could be a EMU to/from Kemi and Oulu or it could be a Pendolino or IC train if VR adjust the long distance timetable to have a direct train from Haparanda to Helsinki.

 

[jpl]

But whatever happens, it won’t be DM12, since a major part of the recent upgrades was the electrification the line. It could be a EMU to/from Kemi and Oulu or it could be a Pendolino or IC train if VR adjust the long distance timetable to have a direct train from Haparanda to Helsinki.

That is true. There is a shortage of Dm12 units, too. Looking at the allocated train paths, VR is going to use long-distance IC trains, if VR's offer is picked up. Of course the paths are old plans that will change, as the timings of Norrtåg service have since been changed.

 

[rf_ioliver]

I would say an Sm4 or Sm2 is likely. The new Sm7's are starting to arrive and be commissioned - not 100% sure when these will actually be in traffic, but they will free up the Sm4s on the longer distance commuter routes. Or, an extension to an IC service. Dm12s are doubtful, especially given the work on electrification.

One possibility that does come to mind is an Sr1+blue coaches...Ylivieskä-Iisalmi is being worked by these at the moment, I guess pending availability of newer stock.

 

[JonasB]

Sm4s sounds like a good option for a regional train. Although I'm still hoping that we will see an extension of a long distance train.