Train traffic is almost back to normal in Southern Finland and Lapland | News
Some trains to and from Helsinki were canceled due to staff shortages, but otherwise rail officials expect smoother service this weekend.
The railway authorities who came after that chaotic delays last weekend reported completed repairs on two routes on Saturday – along with scattered cancellations and delays.
State railway company VR said that the damage to the electric track between Riihimäki and Lahti has been repaired and traffic will return to normal around 9 am on Saturday. The previous G-trains were replaced by buses.
The damage that happened on Friday evening was repaired faster than previously estimated, Fintraffic’s Rail Traffic Center said.
According to a preliminary estimate, the repair work had to continue until Saturday evening, which may block traffic in the area of the southern middle lane.
VR also announced on Saturday morning that some R-trains on the Helsinki-Riihimäki route and Z-trains between Helsinki and Lahti will be canceled due to staff shortages. The morning train from Tampere to Vaasa was also late.
Trains return normally near Rovaniemi
The Finnish Rail Transport Agency also announced that the rail traffic disruptions between Oulu, Kemi and Rovaniemi in northern Finland have ended.
On Friday, a broken down freight train interrupted train traffic between Rovaniemi, the capital of Finnish Lapland, and the village of Muurola, 25 kilometers to the southwest.
According to the Finnish Railways, the disabled train was moved to Rovaniemi so that traffic could continue.
However, Saturday morning’s first IC22 passenger train was still replaced by buses between Rovaniemi and Muurola, the center said.
This is one of the busiest weekends of the summer with several big ones at music festivals as well as the Helsinki Pride parade and the annual meeting of the conservative Latvian Lutheran movement. This year, summer services (Summer Clubs) will be held south of Hämeenlinna in Lopi.
Fatal accident near Helsinki-Vantaa airport
At the same time, there was a traffic jam on the Kehä 3 motorway in Vantaa as a result of the fatal accident that happened on Saturday morning. One person died in a car accident around 9:30 am.
The rescue authorities say that the vehicle went off the road on the Vantaanporti ramp south of Helsinki-Vantaa. The ramp was expected to be closed for about an hour, disrupting westbound traffic.