The Finnish state-owned railway conglomerate, VR Group, intends to deploy Allegro trains, which previously operated in Russia, for domestic routes. The company aims to introduce trains formerly owned by the joint venture VR and RZD (Russian Railways), known as Oy Karelian Trains Ltd, for domestic services starting in 2025.
“Our intercity routes are experiencing an increase in passenger numbers, and new rolling stock is needed,” stated VR Group’s CEO Elina Engman.
VR emphasized that the Sm6 trains would contribute to the growth of domestic transportation. Engman added, “We will carefully assess which routes the trains will best serve our passengers. Currently, they are only permitted for the Helsinki – Russian border route, and their return to operation will require technical inspections and maintenance.”
Preparations for putting the trains into service are expected to take about a year, as they have not undergone the necessary technical maintenance, and spare parts were not ordered due to the unclear situation with the joint venture.
It’s worth noting that in March 2022, the CEO of VR Group, Lauri Sipponen, informed Russian Railways about the termination of cooperation, except for certain cross-border transport. Passenger transportation from Russia on the Allegro train continued for some time to allow Finnish citizens to return home and for citizens of the aggressor country (Russia) to leave the country if they wished.
