Local train services could be given a major boost all around Finland.
A new company, Suomen Lähijunat, has purchased 11 old commuter trains from the Finnish State Railways VR, which will be refurbished and modernised.
The company's plan is to start operating in urban areas in 2025.
"With of these fully modernised trains, we will offer regular local train service where it was not available before," said the company's CEO, Antero Alku.
Suomen Lähijunat has previously said that it would start its first operations between the southwestern cities of Salo, Turku and Uusikaupunki.
However, plans now include possible routes around the country including in the areas of Seinäjoki, Vaasa, Kokkola, Oulu, Jyväskylä, Kuopio, Joensuu, Kouvola, Lappeenranta, Imatra, Tampere, Pori and Rauma.
The company's concept is to offer a commuter train services that run up to every 30 minutes in the largest urban areas, as well as a regional train service that runs every two hours, connecting urban centres.
"There must be enough departures on offer so that it leads to a change in behaviour, that people leave their private cars at home," explained the company's Deputy CEO Jaakko Mustakallio.
New local train routes
Suomen Lähijunat has listed possible routes for its regular local train services:
1. Uusikaupunki–Turku–Salo
2. Loimaa–Turku–Turku Harbour or Naantali
3. Rauma–Sastamala–Nokia–Tampere
4. Tampere–Kangasala–Orivesi
5. Tornio–Kemi–Oulu–Raahe
6. Helsinki–Karjaa–Inkoo–Ekenäs (Tammisaari)–Hanko
7. Äänekoski–Jyväskylä–Muurame
8. Keuruu–Jyväskylä–Hankasalmi–Pieksämäki–Savonlinna
9. Vaasa–Seinäjoki–Ähtäri (hybrid)
10. Seinäjoki–Lapua–Kauhava–Härmä–(Pietarsaari/Kokkola)
11. Iisalmi–Kuopio–Suonenjoki
12. Joensuu–Viinijärvi–Varkaus–Pieksämäki
13. Kouvola–Lappeenranta–Imatra
14. Pieksämäki–Mikkeli–Mäntyharju–(Kouvola)
15. Eastern Finland regional train (ring route)
Other routes being considered:
16. Pieksämäki–Savonlinna–Parikkala
17. Kuopio–Siilinjärvi–Juankoski–Kaavi–Joensuu
18. Seinäjoki–Kurikka–Kauhajoki–(Teuva–Närpiö–Kaskinen)
19. Oulu–Muhos–Utajärvi–Vaala
20. Heinola–Lahti–Orimattila
Market liberalisation
The emergence of a new operator has been made possible by EU regulations, which opened passenger rail traffic to competition.
According to the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the EU requires equal competitive conditions in the market and also encourages an increase in rail traffic.
The current government programme also aims at promoting competition in the commuter rail market.
Mustakallio says that there have been good experiences from a pilot in the Tampere region. Commuter trains between Tampere to Nokia and between Tampere to Toijala have run more and more frequently in recent years.
"For communities along rail routes, commuter trains are an opportunity to take the future into their own hands. In Pirkanmaa's local train pilot programme, one-hour departure intervals quadrupled the number of train passengers between 2019 and 2023," noted Mustakallio.
On the same track
In practice, VR and Suomen Lähijunat are competitors, but both are targeting the same goal – increased rail traffic.
Juho Hannukainen, director for new traffic at the VR Group, stated that VR is happy with the sale of commuter trains to the new company.
"VR also supports increased competition and supports the opportunities for municipalities and municipal associations to also develop commuter rail traffic in their own regions. There are many routes in Finland where passenger train traffic can be increased," Hannukainen pointed out.
Suomen Lähijunat's Alku sees future growth in competition, with more players entering the market.
"I believe that in addition to us, there will be other competitors, perhaps from abroad, because there is potential in Finland," said Alku.
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