HELSINKI, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Passenger train services between Finland and Sweden resumed on Monday after a nearly 40-year suspension, restoring a cross-border rail link in the far north of the two Nordic countries.
Finland and Sweden face each other across the Gulf of Bothnia, with their land border extending northward from its northern end. Tornio on the Finnish side and Haparanda on the Swedish side are neighboring border towns that form a natural rail gateway between the two countries.
The restored service runs from Oulu, the largest city in northern Finland on the Gulf of Bothnia, north through Tornio and across the border to Haparanda. From there, passengers can connect to Sweden's rail network and travel onward to other destinations.
A total of 28 services operate each week on the Oulu-Haparanda route, with morning and evening departures and connections from Oulu to long-distance trains toward Helsinki.
Passenger rail traffic across the Tornio-Haparanda border was suspended in 1988 after becoming economically unviable amid growing reliance on private cars.
The service, operated by Finnish state-owned railway company VR, is part of a government-supported public transport contract covering routes that are not commercially viable. The Finnish state and municipalities in the region jointly finance the restored service.
Finnish Minister of Transport and Communications Lulu Ranne, who traveled on the first service on Monday, said the connection had been absent for nearly 40 years despite efforts by successive governments to restore it.
She said the service would facilitate everyday cross-border travel, strengthen the regional economy and improve accessibility in northern Finland.
"Transport connections are also security policy," Ranne said, adding that diversified and reliable links between neighboring countries strengthen societal resilience and security of supply.
The new service also enables onward rail travel from Finland to Sweden and other parts of Europe. However, passengers continuing onto Sweden's rail network must change trains at Haparanda because Finland uses a wider track gauge than Sweden and most of Europe.
Finland has also considered introducing the European standard gauge on parts of its northern railway network.
Jarkko Saarimaki, director-general of the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom, told national broadcaster Yle that such a change would be a long-term project that could be carried out gradually as existing tracks are renewed.
The cross-border railway between Tornio and Haparanda dates back to the early 20th century.
