Direct trains between two European countries resume after being scrapped in the 90s

Nordic road trip, anyone? (Picture: Takimoto Marina/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

As demand for ‘coolcations’ grows higher, more travellers are swapping southern Europe for Scandi retreats and Baltic city breaks.

It seems the travel industry has been watching too, as a decades-old train service between two Nordic countries has finally sprung back into action.

Resurrected by VR, Finland’s state-owned railway, passengers can now travel between Oulu, in Finland — which also happens to be the 2026 European Capital of Culture — and Haaparanta in Sweden.

The first train rolled out of the station yesterday, and it’s the first time the route has operated for almost 40 years.

So, what’s the route and how much will it cost?

From 5am on August 10, passengers were able to jump on the service, which travels along the scenic coast of the Gulf of Bothnia.

All in, the journey takes around one hour and 40 minutes. Ticket prices vary depending on the time of year.

At a glance, the cheapest prices for the service can cost as little as €5.40 (£4.60), if booked for mid-October.

The rail company has stated that 28 trains per week will run between Oulu and Haaparanta, with added connections to long-distance trains heading toward Helsinki.

The connection to Sweden also makes it possible to continue overland to other parts of Europe.

The timings look like this:

IC 401, Mon–Sat, Oulu 05:08 — Haaparanta 05:45 IC 403, Sun, Oulu, 06:50 — Haaparanta 07:45 IC 407, Mon–Sun, Oulu 19:50 — Haaparanta 20:30 IC 402, Mon-Sat, Haaparanta 06:20 — Oulu 09:00 IC 404, Sun, Haaparanta 08:54 — Oulu 11:32 IC 408, Mon–Sun, Haaparanta 20:45 — Oulu 23:20

The route in its entirety is: Oulu, Kemi, Tornio-Itäinen, Tornio, Haaparanta.

It’s the first time people have been able to travel between these two cities since the 90s (Picture: Getty Images)

Why did the service end?

Let’s backtrack. Until the late 1980s and early 1990s, locals were able to travel between the two cities easily.

However, services were suspended as demand declined.

Additionally, differing track gauges (Finland uses a wider gauge than standard European tracks, and the same as Russia) required a physical transfer at the border.

Since then, people needing to make the journey have had to find other methods of transportation — from crossing the border by car, and even on foot.

However, Finland is currently in the process of updating gauge measurements to match those of the rest of Europe.

Due to the length of time the service has been out of action, VR has also released important information for passengers travelling on cross-border routes.

The rail company has reminded customers to ‘familiarise themselves with the destination country’s border crossing requirements and to ensure they carry all necessary travel documents.’

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