Finland is set to gain its first cross-border rail connection to continental Europe this summer, with a long-awaited link to Sweden expected to open as early as June.
The new route, connecting the twin border towns of Tornio in Finland and Haparanda in Sweden at the northern tip of the Gulf of Bothnia, will unlock what is believed to be the longest train journey currently possible within the European Union.
A Problem a Century in the Making
Travellers between Tornio and Haparanda can currently only cross by bus or car, despite a railway line already existing between the two towns. The obstacle is a legacy of Finland’s incorporation into the Russian Empire in the 19th century: Finnish tracks still use the old Russian gauge of 1,524 mm, while Sweden — like most of Europe — operates on the standard gauge of 1,435 mm.
The solution lies in a historic Haparanda station, dating back to the early 1900s, which is currently being restored to serve as a passenger interchange between the two networks.
“Finnish VR trains will stop at Tornio C station and then terminate at Haparanda. The Haparanda station building sits between the Finnish and Swedish tracks. To change from VR trains to Swedish Norrtåg services, passengers simply walk through the station building — it’s very straightforward.”
— Sampo Kangastalo, Development Director, Municipality of Tornio
Last week, Finland and Sweden signed an agreement to streamline rail traffic between the two countries and confirmed a funding deal. “The official inauguration of this line should take place just before Midsummer, at the end of June,” Kangastalo added.
The development also means that Finnish trains will resume cross-border services for the first time since 2022, when the Helsinki–St. Petersburg route was suspended following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
A Record-Breaking Route Through the EU
Once the border link opens, it will enable what independent rail consultant and writer Jon Worth describes as the longest train journey achievable within the EU.
“As far as I’m aware, from Kolari in Finland to Lagos in Portugal is the longest journey you can make using a combination of trains within the EU.”
— Jon Worth, independent rail consultant
Worth also highlighted the broader regional benefits:
“The real potential is for Rovaniemi and Oulu, which will have a rail connection to Sweden without needing a plane or a ferry — and that’s excellent news.”
— Jon Worth
For travellers between Helsinki and Stockholm, the new link also offers an alternative to the roughly 18-hour passenger ferry crossing — replaced by a train journey of just over 24 hours.
