European Railroad Discussion > Finland to Convert to Standard Gauge

In a break from its Russian legacy Finland now plans to convert its entire rail network
from 1524mm to the European standard of 1435mm.  Finland and Sweden have one connection
(with break of gauge, of course) at the north end of the Gulf of Bothnia which will see 
major upgrading with possible new lines under the Rail Nordica Project.  Finland's 
recent inclusion in NATO played a critcal role.  From essanews:
https://essanews.com/finland-breaks-from-russian-legacy-with-railway-overhaul,7156542786726017a

It's interesting to note that the USSR in 1970 redesignated its official gauge to be 1520mm,
with the difference to Finland's gauge apparently insignificant regarding interchange.

That is an enormous project and a huge break with Russia.  Twenty years ago when I worked in Finland, there was a lot of grain, chemicals (including gas and oil), wood, iron ore, and automobiles interchanged with Russia.  Gerry



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/16/25 03:55 by GPutz.

I wonder that that'll do to these. Allegro is (was?) fast service between Helsinki and St. Petersburg. I took this in 2012.

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The Allegro service was discontinued in March 2022 in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Uktaine.
The trainsets are to be redeployed on to domestic services.

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Gerry:

Reportedly, the EU has been weaning itself off of Russian imports since the Ukraine War started and is almost there. I suspect Hungary might be the exception?

Victor Baird

GPutz Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> T Twenty years ago when I worked in
> Finland, there was a lot of grain, chemicals
> (including ga and oil), wood, iron ore, and
> automobiles interchanged with Russia.  Gerry



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/15/25 21:46 by wabash2800.

Not quite yet -- they are just thinking about it, for about the third time in five years.  The previous considerations dismissed the idea as uneconomic;  the difference this time is the possibility of EU funding [ = free money ] for some of the planning and conversion, and it's a case of 'use it or lose it'.

Standard gauge would of course be used if the totally new connection to the Narvik line is built for both commercial and military purposes, while both of those factors would certainly encourage more dual gauge at the northern end of the existing net.

SZ

milepost20 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Allegro service was discontinued in March 2022
> in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of
> Uktaine.
> The trainsets are to be redeployed on to domestic
> services.

A spectacular service.  Shame we keep insisting on killing each other.  Into the 21st century...we've not learned.