Track gauge review

Starting points for the plan

The current geopolitical situation has highlighted the importance of transport connections between Finland and Western Europe. The importance of international military mobility has also been emphasised since Finland joined NATO in 2023.

In June 2024, the Ministry of Transport and Communications commissioned the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency to investigate by August 2025 different options for extending the European track gauge from Haparanda to Finland. In addition, the aim was to investigate the need to construct new rail connections to the European track gauge. We examined extending the European standard track gauge to Northern Finland, paying particular attention to the perspectives of military mobility and industrial needs. 

The Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency engaged in dialogue with the Ministry of Defence, the Defence Forces, the National Emergency Supply Agency, and key businesses, ports, municipalities, regional councils, and railway companies. The Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency’s Nordic counterparts, the Swedish Trafikverket and the Norwegian Jernbanedirektoratet, also participated.

The track gauge in Finland is 1,524 mm. The European standard track gauge is 1,435 mm. The difference between track gauges is 89 mm.

Objectives of the plan

The purpose of the review was to increase knowledge base. No decisions will be made in connection with the review.

The aim was to find answers to questions such as:

• What would be the demand and need be for a European standard track gauge from Sweden to Finland?
• What would be the need in passenger transport? What about freight traffic?
• How would extending the standard track gauge from Sweden to Finland affect military mobility and security of supply?
• What would the traffic and transport flows be in Northern Finland on the European standard track gauge?
• What kind of infrastructure development needs would this involve? And how much would they cost?
• What would be the extensive impacts and costs of any reform?

Project progress and schedule

The work began in autumn 2024 with a demand analysis for freight and passenger transport. 

Technical reviews began in late 2024 with general reviews of solutions. In 2025, actual analyses of rail connections were carried out, a cost estimate was prepared and the impacts of the solutions were assessed. In addition, rolling stock-based axle and bogie change solutions have been examined. 
We have worked on a project appraisal in spring 2025, which also includes a viability calculation. The study also includes analyses of the properties and condition of the Swedish and Norwegian networks.

The review will result in separate analyses of different sections and a main report that brings together the work and also complements the analyses. The analyses were published in September 2025.