Rail transport in Finland

Rail transport in Finland
Operation
National railway	VR
Infrastructure company	Finnish Transport Agency
Statistics
Ridership	14.9 million / year long-distance 77.9 million / year in Helsinki commuter traffic
System length
Total	9,216 km (5,727 mi)
Electrified	3,249 km (2,019 mi)
Track gauge
Main	1,524 mm (5 ft)
Electrification
Main	25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead wiring
Features
Longest tunnel	Savio, 13.5 km (8.4 mi)
Map The Finnish railway network in 2010. Lines marked in green are freight- and passenger routes, brown are freight-only routes, blue is heritage railway, and grey are no longer in use.

Trains at Helsinki Central Station, 2019

Bike storage space on a night train, June 2022

A commuter train bound for the airport

The Finnish railway network has a total track length of 9,216 km (5,727 mi). The railways are built with a broad 1524 mm track gauge. 3,249 km (2,019 mi) is electrified.

Passenger trains are run by the state-owned enterprise VR. These services cover all major cities and many rural areas. The coverage is less than the coverage provided by the bus services. Most passenger train services originate or terminate at Helsinki Central railway station. VR also operates freight services. Maintenance and construction of the railway network itself is the responsibility of the Finnish Rail Administration, which is a part of the Finnish Transport Agency. Cargo yards and large stations may have their own signalling systems.

Finnish trains have a reputation for being spacious, comfortable and clean. The scenery round the railway lines is beautiful, especially in Eastern Finland with its many lakes. Commuter services are rare outside the Helsinki area, but there are express train connections between most of the cities. Night trains only run on the lines between Helsinki or Turku via Oulu to Lapland (minimum distance of 676 km (420 mi). Most tracks are free for nightly freight traffic (about 40 million tonnes per year).