VR will stop train traffic between Helsinki and St. Petersburg
ALLEGRO TRAIN stop the route between Helsinki and St. Petersburg on Saturday, reports Helsingin sanomat newspaper.
Minister for European Affairs and Corporate Governance Tytti Tuppurainen (SDP) sent a letter to VR, a state railway company operating trains, on Thursday stating that it was no longer appropriate to continue the service.
The official decision to terminate the service is made by VR. Kauppalehti on Thursday wrote that the state-owned company is prepared to suspend the service in accordance with the instructions of the central government.
Tuppurainen told Helsingin Sanomat that train traffic has been offered in such a way that Finns living in Russia can return to Finland. There are relatively few Finns in Russia.
“Now we see that the situation with Allegro has changed. Continuing Allegro services is no longer appropriate from a state owner’s perspective, he told the daily.
Allegro trains are owned by Karelian Trains, a joint venture between VR and the Russian Railways (RZD). Viktoria HurriCEO of Karelian Trains, stated Kauppalehti yesterday that the trains have so far been run in accordance with the wishes of the central government.
The EU and the United States have both imposed sanctions on the RZD.
Aleksi Teivainen – HT