During the past few years Finland has emerged as a vital hub for European companies who require reliable rail and land transport connections with Russia and the other CIS countries. Finland is the only EU country having a common border with Russia. Both countries also share the same rail gauge. No other west European country can match Finland’s experience of direct transportation to Russia.

It is no more than 160 km from the Finnish-Russian border to St. Petersburg and a little over 800 km to Moscow, Russia’s most important economic regions.

New border rail terminal doubles rail capacity
The Finnish Railways, VR, has been doing business with the Russians for a great many years. Construction of Finland’s railway network began in 1862, when the country was still a Grand Duchy under the Tsar of Russia. For this reason Finland, Russia and the other CIS countries all have the same rail gauge.
To remain at the forefront of developments in the east, VR has its Moscow office in the same building as the Russian Ministry of Railways. One result of this close cooperation is the smooth customs formalities at the border. In addition, the recently opened terminal at Buslovskaya on the Russian side of the border has almost doubled VR's daily capacity.

Good relations with Russia and Central Europe
The Finnish economy largely depends on exports of wood and metal products. The country therefore has excellent contacts with Central Europe. Modern container ships, roro vessels and special rail ferries operate daily between Finland and Germany.
Since Finland, Russia and the other CIS countries have the same rail gauge, freight trains and containers can be loaded in Finnish ports for direct rail transport to their destinations. Twenty-four freight trains travel to and from Finland and Russia every day.

Via the Trans-Siberian railway to China
Trains from Finland can also travel direct to China and the Pacific coast along the Trans-Siberian railway.
VR continued to operate two trains per week along this route in both directions even during the momentous changes in Russia during the early 1990s. It is interesting to note that an increasing volume of freight traffic bound for Russia from East Asia is being routed by rail via Finland, where they are loaded and transported as unitized cargo, mainly to St. Petersburg and the Moscow areas.

Harvesters and tractors by rail to Uzbekistan
One example of VR's extensive transportation projects is the export of American harvesters and tractors to Uzbekistan through Finland. Agricultural vehicles have also been transported by rail to Kazakstan, Turkmenistan and Kirgisia.
The rail transportation of large agricultural vehicles started in the early 1990s. Freight this spring totalled 200 harvesters and 400 tractors.
The vehicles were shipped from the USA to Finland by sea and onwards by train to destinations in Uzbekistan, beyond the Ural mountains, some 4,000 kilometers from the Finnish border. The transit time from Finland was only two weeks./ins

Captions:
1. The Russian border is best crossed by rail. Finland, Russia and the CIS countries all share the same rail gauge. The transportation of harvesters from Finland to Uzbekistan takes only two weeks.
2. Trains from Finland can also travel direct to China and the Pacific coast along the Trans-Siberian railway.


For further information:
Mr Markku Onniselkä, Deputy Director, VR Cargo
Tel: +358-9-707 4662, Fax: +358-9-707 4660


VR’s Internet address: www.vr.fi. Information is available in English, Swedish and Finnish.

Press release images