Growth in freight traffic requires investments in the rail network

The growth of passenger traffic on the railways is an excellent thing, and we believe that this development will continue over the coming years. With the parliamentary elections approaching, there has been lively discussion on different railway projects, such as the one-hour train connections from Helsinki to Turku or Tampere. The cost estimates for the projects are in the billions, and there are mixed opinions on the potential models of implementation.

However, it should be kept in mind that freight traffic has a significant impact on Finnish trade and industry and the competitiveness of different industries. There are several rail sections in Finland where the available capacity is not sufficient to match the growth of freight traffic. Transit traffic from Russia has grown considerably in recent years, and the smooth operation of this traffic requires investment from the State in the rail network of south-eastern Finland. The rail network leading to many ports also needs to be developed.