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The 2017 track work season is in full swing - minimal inconveniences to passengers and freight traffic due to pre-emptive planning

Published 23.5.2017

The Finnish Transport Agency plans the coordination of track work and traffic in collaboration with railway undertakings and clients. Despite thorough planning, traffic disruptions cannot be fully prevented. This summer, track work affecting traffic will be carried out on the line sections Helsinki–Tampere and Seinäjoki–Oulu, and in Äänekoski.

In summer 2017, track work affecting traffic will be performed in a number of projects, including: Improvement of the efficiency of Helsinki railway yard, Building of the Tripla complex in Pasila, Increased capacity on the line section Helsinki–Riihimäki, Renewal of safety devices on the line section Riihimäki–Tampere, Road and rail connections to the bio-product mill in Äänekoski, Major improvement of the line section Oulu–Kontiomäki and the Seinäjoki–Oulu railway project. VR uses its own channels to provide information about track work affecting passenger traffic (link)

Effort to minimise inconveniences to passengers 

The Finnish Transport Agency's track work process takes the needs of the whole transport system into account. 

"Our principle is that track work should not have an unreasonable impact on rail traffic, nor should the quality of work be compromised", says Juha Kröger, Track Work Coordinator at the Finnish Transport Agency. 

"It is important that we provide information about how the track work affects services well in advance, so that transport operators can take these changes into account in their timetables and the Finnish Transport Agency can produce high-quality passenger information. When assessing the impact, we also have to consider how the track work affects the entire network, since everything in the railway network is interconnected", says Kröger.

There are various means to minimise traffic inconveniences. For example, track work is scheduled for times when there is less traffic: at night, at weekends and during holiday seasons with less frequent commuter services. Track construction is often scheduled for public holidays, when the services are less frequent. For example, this Midsummer, there will be a 48-hour service interruption on the line sections Riihimäki–Tampere, Turku–Toijala and Tampere–Seinäjoki. During this time, challenging bridge renovations or constructions and turnout replacements will be carried out at several locations. 

Some work phases require even longer service interruptions. For instance, the major tunnel improvement works on the line section Jämsä–Jyväskylä will be carried out during a six-week total service interruption, when passenger transport will be replaced with buses and freight transport will be diverted via alternative routes.

The Finnish Transport Agency is obliged to inform the railway operators about the track work schedule well in advance, so that they are able to plan their own timetables, and the changes cause as little inconvenience to passengers and business life as possible. In the Finnish Railway Network Statement, the Finnish Transport Agency provides information about significant track work causing either short-term or long-term service interruptions 1.5 years prior to the beginning of each timetable period.

Further information:
Track Work Coordinator Juha Kröger, phone +358 29 534 3853 or [email protected]

Routes on which VR's passenger traffic will be affected by track work
Finnish Railway Network Statement


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