Trip to Finland - July 2019
General Notes
Twelve days in Finland, mostly on the PTG "Grand Finland Circular" trip from 6 to 13 July 2019. Photo album here.
Operating Company Abbreviations:
- VR - formerly Valtionrautatiet (national train operator in Finland)
Track gauge
All Finnish trains are 1524 mm gauge. Other workings are standard (1435 mm) gauge.
| Place | Arrive | Depart | Train | Traction details & notes |
Wednesday 3 July 2019
| Timperley | 14:57 | Metrolink tram 3031+3044 | ||
| Altrincham | 15:02 | 15:16 | '288' | Bus |
| Manchester Airport (MAN) | 15:49 | 17:50 | AY1366 | Finnair Airbus 320 OH-LXA push-back 18:16, take-off 18:26 from runway 23L |
| Helsinki Vantaa Airport (HEL) | 22:30 | landed 22:50 on runway 22L, on stand 22:55 | ||
| New passenger track today: none. | ||||
| Overnight: Hotel Hilton, Helsinki Airport. | ||||
| Notes Flight from Manchester to Helsinki, overnight at a hotel at the airport there due to the late arrival time. |
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Thursday 4 July 2019
| Helsinki Airport | 08:21 | 'P' | VR EMU Sm5 set 37 + 03 | |
| Helsinki | 08:49 | 09:37 | S987 | VR EMU Sm3 set 17 |
| Turku | 11:34 | 13:05 | IC919 | VR EL Sr2 3239 |
| Tampere | 14:47 | 15:05 | S145 | VR EMU Sm3 set 15 |
| Pieksämäki | 17:26 | 17:38 | S67 | VR EMU Sm3 set 11 |
| Iisalmi | 19:34 | Today's photos | ||
| New passenger track today: Huopalahtyi - Karjaa; Orivesi - Jyväskylä. | ||||
| Overnight: Hotel Golden Dome, Iisalmi. | ||||
| Notes Today's plan revolved round two passenger main lines not previously covered. |
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Friday 5 July 2019
| Iisalmi | 07:37 | 491 | VR DMU Dm12 4411 + 4403 | |
| Ylivieska | 09:23 | 09:50 | IC122 | VR EL Sr2 3209 |
| Seinäjoki | 11:49 | 12:14 | IC443 | VR EL Sr1 3102 |
| Vaasa | 13:11 | 13:42 | IC444 | VR EL Sr1 3102 |
| Seinäjoki | 14:38 | 14:53 | IC24 | VR EL Sr2 3222 |
| Tampere | 15:58 | Today's photos | ||
| New passenger track today: Haapajärvi - Ylivieska. | ||||
| Overnight: PTG Hotel: Tampere Torni SOKOS, Ratapihankatu 43, Tampere. | ||||
| Notes Fitting in the Haapajärvi - Ylivieska passenger line, then Seinäjoki to Vaasa and back for the Sr1 haulage. |
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Saturday 6 July 2019
| Tampere | 08:41 | 1920 | Preserved DL Dr12 2216 PTG Railtour | |
| Via Toijala (09:17/09:30) - Hämeenlinna (10:05) - Riihimäki kolmioraide (triangle) (10:38/10:41) - north/east curve - Lahti (11:35) - Mukkula (reverse, 11:55/12:05) - Lahti (reverse, 12:40/12:49) - Kouvola (13:44/13:52) - dep via SW (passenger traffic) line - Juurikorpi (14:26) - Kymi (14:33/14:56) - Kotolahti (15:11/15:12) | ||||
| Kotka Mussalo | 15:17 | 15:55 | 1921 | Preserved DL Dr12 2216 PTG Railtour (reverse, run-round) |
| Via Kotolahti (15:59/16:01) - Juurikorpi (reverse, run-round 16:22/16:47) | ||||
| Hamina | 17:04 | 17:45 | 1922 | Preserved DL Dr12 2216 PTG Railtour (reverse, run-round) |
| Via Juurikorpi (18:01) - Kouvola tavara (18:32) - arriving into Kouvola via freight line passing over the main line - Kouvola lajittelu (18:35) | ||||
| Kouvola | 18:38 | Today's photos | ||
| New passenger track today: Toijala - Riihimäki kolmioraide - north Jn. | ||||
| New non-passenger track today: Riihimäki kolmioraide - north/east curve; Lahti - Mukkula; Kotka Mussalo branch; Hamina branch; flyover off Kotka line into Kouvola. | ||||
| Overnight: PTG Hotel: Hotel Scandic Kouvola, Kouvola. | ||||
| Notes Day 1 of the PTG railtour. |
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Sunday 7 July 2019
| Kouvola | 09:17 | 1921 | Preserved DL Dr12 2216 PTG Railtour | |
| Via Kouvola Oikoraide (09:34/09:35) - depart via south/west curve towards Kotka, then via south/east curve towards Lapeenranta - Kullasvaara (09:37) - Luumäki (10:27) - Lappeenranta (reverse, run-round 10:54/11:19) | ||||
| Mustolan satama | 11:52 | 12:31 | 1922 | Preserved DL Dr12 2216 PTG Railtour (reverse, run-round) |
| Via Lappeenranta (13:04/13:05) - Voisalmi/Metsä-Saimaa (sawmill; 13:25/13:26) - Lappeenranta (13:50/15:08) - Joutseno (15:29/15:45) - lmatra tavara (16:06/16:07) - Kaukopää (reverse, 16:14/16:15; Stora-Enso pulp and board mill) | ||||
| Imatra tavara | 16:25 | 17:03 | 1923 | Preserved DL Dr12 2216 PTG Railtour reverse |
| Via Simpele (17:42) - Parikkala (18:00) - Punkaharju (18:24/19:06) - Kerimaki (19:25) - Paiiskylahti (19:35) - Savonlinna (19:37, new station, formerly Savonlinna-Kauppatori) - Savonlinna Jukolansalo (reverse, 19:45/19:55) | ||||
| Savonlinna | 20:00 | walk to pier | ||
| Savonlinna pier | 20:15 | m/s Lake Star, PTG charter | ||
| Via Pihlajavesi - Kyronsalmi/Olavinlirina (castle) - Haapavesi - Laitaatsalmi - Pihlajavesi | ||||
| Savonlinna pier | 21:15 | 21:30 | PTG bus | |
| Varkaus (Hotel Oscar) | 22:45 | Today's photos | ||
| New passenger track today: none. | ||||
| New non-passenger track today: Kouvola Oikoraide south/west then south/east curves; Lappeenranta - Mustolan satama; Lappeenranta - Voisalmi sawmill branch; lmatra tavara - Kaukopää pulp and board mill branch; Savonlinna - Savonlinna Jukolansalo. | ||||
| Overnight: PTG Hotel: Varkaus Hotel Oskari, Varkaus. | ||||
| Notes Day 2 of the PTG railtour. |
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Monday 8 July 2019
| Varkaus | 08:00 | 1924 | Preserved DMU Dm7 4209+4185 PTG railtour | |
| Via Akonniemi (reverse, 08:25/08:30, harbour, oil storage) - Varkaus (08:50) - Kommila (09:00/09:10, dep via west avoiding line, not via Varkaus) - Huutokoski (reverse, 09:37/09:44) - Joroinen (09:51) - Rantasalmi (10:20) - Rantasalmi (reverse at end of line, 10:25/10:30) | ||||
| Rantasalmi | 10:35 | 10:45 | PTG bus | |
| Via Savonlinna Kyronsalmi (11:25/11:45) - over Kyronsalmi bridge | ||||
| Pääskylahti | 11:50 | 12:03 | 1925 | Preserved DL Dr12 2216 PTG Railtour |
| Via Kerimäki (12:13) - Punkaharju (12:32) - Parikkala (reverse, run round 12:56/13:43) - Kitee (14:51) - Säkäniemi (15:10) | ||||
| Tikkala | 15:15 | 15:40 | 1926 | Preserved DL Dr12 2216 PTG Railtour reverse, run-round |
| Via Säkäniemi (15:45) - Tohmajarvi (15:59) | ||||
| Niirala | 16:14 | 16:43 | 1927 | Preserved DL Dr12 2216 PTG Railtour reverse, run-round; freight border station with Russia |
| Via Tohmajarvi (16:57) - Sakaniemi (17:12) - Hammaslahti (17:26/17:41) - Joensuu (reverse, 18:02) - Joensuu harbour (reverse, 18:12/18:25, harbour gates) | ||||
| Joensuu | 18:32 | Today's photos | ||
| New passenger track today: none. | ||||
| New non-passenger track today: Varkaus - Akonniemi harbour - Varkaus avoiding line; Huutokoski - Rantasalmi end of line; Säkäniemi - Niirala; Joensuu harbour. | ||||
| Overnight: PTG Hotel: Hotel Joensuu Kimmeli, Joensuu. | ||||
| Notes Day 3 of the PTG railtour. |
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Tuesday 9 July 2019
| Joensuu | 09:06 | 1928 | Preserved DL Dr12 2216 PTG Railtour | |
| Via Kontiolahti (09:20) - Eno (09:37) - Uimaharju (09:50/10:00, easternmost passenger station) - Vuonislahti (10:27/10:37) - Lieksa (10:57/11:07) - Viekki (11:30) - Holjakka (11:40) - Nurmes (11:57/13:00) - Valtimo (13:21) - Maanselkä (13:47) - Vuokatti (14:16) - Kontiomäki (reverse, run-round 14:37/16:00) - departure via west/north curve - Arola (17:14) - Ypykkävaara (17:33) | ||||
| Vartius | 17:54 | 18:40 | 1929 | Preserved DL Dr12 2216 PTG Railtour reverse, run-round; freight border station with Russia |
| Via Ypykkävaara (19:01) - Arola (19:20) - Kontiomäki (20:05) | ||||
| Kajaani | 20:29 | Today's photos | ||
| New passenger track today: none. | ||||
| New non-passenger track today: Nurmes - Vuokatti; Kontiomäki - Vartius. | ||||
| Overnight: PTG Hotel: Kajaani Hotel, Onnelantie 1, Kajaani. | ||||
| Notes Day 4 of the PTG railtour. |
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Wednesday 10 July 2019
| Kajaani | 09:00 | 1920 | Preserved DL Dr12 2216 PTG Railtour | |
| Via Murtomäki (north/west curve) (09:17) | ||||
| Otanmäki | 10:30 | 10:45 | 1921 | Preserved DL Dr12 2216 PTG Railtour reverse, run-round; Skoda-Transtech coaching stock works |
| Via Murtomäki (reverse, run-round 11:40/12:43) - Kajaani (13:03) - Kontiomäki (13:25) - Paltamo (13:40) - Kivesjärvi (14:01) - Vaala (14:37) - Utajärvi (15:07) - Muhos (15:27) - Oulu (16:00/16:01) - Rusko (reverse, gate 16:10/16:20) | ||||
| Oulu | 16:30 | 17:46 | IC710 | VR EL Sr1 3097 |
| Utajärvi | 18:26 | 19:15 | IC65 | VR EL Sr1 3067 + 3078 |
| Oulu | 19:59 | Today's photos | ||
| New passenger track today: none. | ||||
| New non-passenger track today: Otanmäki full length of branch; Oulu - Rusko. | ||||
| Overnight: PTG Hotel: Hotel Scandic Oulu Station, Oulu (1st of 2 nights). | ||||
| Notes Day 5 of the PTG railtour, followed by a run out to Utajärvi and back for some haulage behind Sr1 electric locomotives. |
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Thursday 11 July 2019
| Oulu | 08:38 | 1922 | Preserved DL Dr12 2216 PTG Railtour | |
| Via Haukipudas (08:57) - Ii (9:10) - Simo (09:49) - Kemi (reverse 10:11/10:16) | ||||
| Ajos (Rivinkari) | 10:36 | 10:50 | 1923 | Preserved DL Dr12 2216 PTG Railtour reverse; Kemi harbour |
| Via Kemi (11:15/11:16) - Laurila (11:24) - Tornio (11:42) - Röyttä (Outokumpu steel works; reverse 12:05/12:15) - Tornio (12:40/13:12 propel to north end of Tornio triangle; reverse) - Tornio-raja (13:19, into Sweden; Tornio River bridge, only rail connection on Finland's western border) - Haparanda / Haaparanta (SWEDEN) (reverse, run-round 13:23/13:58 Finnish time) - Tornio-raja (14:01, into Finland; Tornio River bridge) - Tornio (14:09/14:10) - Laurila (14:27) - Kemi (14:35) - Simo (14:56/15:13) - Myllykangas (15:29/15:39) - Ii (16:03) - Haukipudas (16:15) | ||||
| Oulu | 16:36 | Today's photos | ||
| New passenger track today: Oulu - Kemi - Laurila - Tornio. | ||||
| New non-passenger track today: Kemi - Ajos; Tornio - Röyttä; Tornio south - north curve; Tornio - Haparanda. | ||||
| Overnight: PTG Hotel: Hotel Scandic Oulu Station, Oulu (2nd of 2 nights). | ||||
| Notes Day 6 of the PTG railtour. |
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Friday 12 July 2019
| Oulu | 08:00 | 1925 | Preserved DL Dr12 2216 PTG Railtour | |
| Via departure through freight yard - Oulu tavara (08:03) - Oulu Nokela (08:07/08:08) - Kempele (08:17) - Liminka (08:28) - Hirvineva (08:44) - Tuomioja (08:59) - Vihanti (09:11/09:18) - Ylivieska (10:06) - Kokkola (11:17/11:47) - Bennäs / Pännäinen (12:20) - Jakobstad / Pietarsaari (12:34/12:35) | ||||
| Alholmen / Alholma | 12:46 | 13:15 | 1926 | Preserved DL Dr12 2216 PTG Railtour reverse/run-round; UPM-Kymmene sawmill |
| Via Jakobstad / Pietarsaari (13:22/13:23) - Pännäinen kolmioraide (new west/south curve) (13:36) - Kovjoki (13:44) - Raunio (14:23/14:32) - Kauhava (14:40) - Lapua (14:53) - Seinäjoki (reverse/run-round 15:14/15:43) - Ylistaro (16:02) - lsokyrö (16:09/16:16) - Vaasa (16:56/16:57) - Vaskiluoto (reverse/run-round 17:10/17:40; Vaasa harbour) | ||||
| Vaasa | 17:50 | Today's photos | ||
| New passenger track today: none. | ||||
| New non-passenger track today: Pännäinen kolmioraide new west/south curve; Vaasa - Vaskiluoto. | ||||
| Overnight: PTG Hotel: Hotel Scandic Vaasa, Vaasa. | ||||
| Notes Day 7 of the PTG railtour. |
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Saturday 13 July 2019
| Vaasa | 08:00 | 1927 | Preserved DL Dr12 2216 PTG Railtour | |
| Via Laihia (08:20) - lsokyrö (08:39) | ||||
| * Seinäjoki | 09:05 | 09:25 | Preserved DL Dv16 2038 PTG Railtour | |
| Via Peräseinäjoki (09:55/10:04) - Parkano (11:00/11:01) - Lapinneva (11:28) | ||||
| Niinisalo | 12:34 | 13:30 | 1928 | Preserved DL Dv16 2038 PTG Railtour reverse/run-round |
| Via Lapinneva (14:36) - Parkano (reverse/run-round 15:05/15:30) - Majajärvi (16:13/16:17) - Lielahti (16:39) - Tampere (16:45/16:47) - Orivesi (17:28) - Jämsä (18:21/18:23) | ||||
| Kaipola | 18:37 | 18:57 | 1929 | Preserved DL Dv16 2308 PTG Railtour reverse/run-round; UPM-Kymmene paper mill |
| Via Jämsä (19:10:19:13) - Orivesi (20:05) | ||||
| Tampere | 20:46 | Today's photos | ||
| New passenger track today: Seinäjoki - Parkano - Lielahti . | ||||
| New non-passenger track today: Parkano - Niinisalo; Jämsä - Kaipola. | ||||
| Overnight: PTG Hotel: Hotel Tampere Torni SOKOS, Tampere. | ||||
| Notes Day 8 of the PTG railtour. |
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Sunday 14 July 2019
| Tampere | 11:07 | S94 | VR EMU Sm3 set 7213 via Hyvinkää - Kerava | |
| Tikkurila | 12:39 | 12:55 | 'I' | VR EMU Sm5 sets 34 + 71 |
| Airport | 13:03 | |||
| Helsinki Vantaa Airport (HEL) | 16:05 | AY1365 | Finnair Airbus 320 OH-LXL take-off 16:25 | |
| Manchester Airport (MAN) | 17:00 | 17:45 | Landed 17:020 on runway 05L, on stand 17:13 / Metrolink tram 3088 | |
| Trafford Bar | 18:28 | 18:35 | Metrolink tram 30?? | |
| Timperley | 18:45 | Today's photos | ||
| New passenger track today: Hyvinkää - Kerava. | ||||
| Notes Heading home. |
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Summary
An excellent trip with well organised railtour days and other travels on the Finnish rail network. I have now cleared all Finnish passenger track except the far north lines to Kolari and Kemijärvi and the cross-border line into Russia.