Narrowing the existing tracks to the European standard gauge only in Northern Finland has not been considered. Domestic rail traffic in Finland would not function if Northern Finland had a different track gauge than the rest of the country. Therefore, the plans are to build a separate narrower railway.
The Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency's bulletin states that extending European standard-gauge tracks to Finland in various ways would have a positive impact on accessibility, the safety of the transport system, and overall societal security.
The Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency is preparing to start more detailed planning work. The planning work is expected to take place during this decade. Construction would occur in the 2030s.
The rail gauge in Finland is 90 millimeters wider than in the rest of Europe. Extending the European rail gauge from Sweden to Finland would ensure efficient rail transport between the Nordic countries and link Finland even more closely to the West.
The European rail gauge is being extended from Sweden to Northern Finland
The track gauge in Finland is 1,524 mm. The European standard track gauge is 1,435 mm. This prevents train traffic between Finland and Europe.
