After years of planning and construction, a newly electrified railway line between Haparanda in Sweden and Tornio in Finland is finally complete. Yet despite the physical infrastructure being ready for months, the line remains idle for passengers as political indecision and funding constraints stall its opening.
At present, only a handful of freight trains operate on the line, which marks an important step in improving rail connectivity between the two Nordic countries. The upgrade, which included resolving the technical challenge of differing rail gauges between the Finnish and Swedish networks, cost approximately €37 million. Of this, Finland contributed €30 million, with Sweden covering the remaining €7 million.
While the track is ready, the hurdle now lies in operational costs for passenger services — and who will pay for them.
Finland’s state railway company, VR, has presented several options to initiate service. The most modest plan proposes limited service on Fridays and Sundays, with a price tag of around €300,000 per year. A slightly more ambitious plan, with 14 weekend trips from Friday through Sunday, would require up to €1 million annually. For full weekday and weekend coverage — 30 trips per week — costs rise to between €1.4 and €2.1 million annually.
The municipality of Tornio has pledged to contribute five percent of operating costs through 2031, but broader funding remains uncertain. Finland’s Ministry of Transport has yet to commit, citing tight budgets and the need for a formal government decision.
VR maintains that it could launch passenger services within four months of contracts being signed. However, according to the ministry, the earliest realistic start date is now January 2026.
Until then, the newly modernized connection between Sweden and Finland remains a missed opportunity for regional mobility
