cargo traffic on the railway was opened to competition in Finland already in 2007, but the challengers to the ruling VR is turned up on the rails scarce.

Now the situation may change when the Estonian state-owned railway company operai in tell recently plans to invest 50 million euro to begin operations in Finland.

Operaililla already have contracts with companies, but it is still not public them, or more accurate information coming from its fleet. Where a new player is going to get transported?

– for Such mass goods to the driver in Finland is a strong basic industry, which is a powerful flow of goods in Finland and internationally. In addition, there is new investment. I believe that these will be more transportable, said operai in finland, ceo of Ilkka Seppänen .

– also, do Not forget the Finnish transiting traffic, which is certainly a still untapped potential, Seppänen continues.

Seppänen, according to the operai in intends to operate the entire rail network in Finland.

operai in Finland the delivery of specific Ilkka Seppänen believes that the railways could carry more goods. Marja Väänänen / yle ykyisen competitor trains fit well on the rails

until now, Fenniarail has been VR’s the only contender with five veturillaan and a few tens of the trailer.

– we take Care of the already significant transport. In the long term, we’ll get 10% of the market share of the Finnish freight transport, told the fennia rail ceo Juha Hakavuori .

Hakavuoren according to their train are fit well to the Finnish network. The stock is however slow and requires a lot of money.

When we bring in a new locomotive or rolling stock in Finland, it must be approved first in Europe and then here. Approval processes are long and investments high. All equipment suppliers are not even interested to provide equipment for Finland’s small markets, Hakavuori said.

the goods traffic on the railways has increased in recent years, but to be fair a decade ago has come down a little bit.

the Railway runs last year, 28% freight traffic, which is the highest figure for many other European countries, when compared to the. Still, the range of utilization is in Finland, many of the country compared to the low.

Seppo Suvela / Yle. Graphics is after the release of the added words, missing words thousand.

Why competition has become so far scarce?

One of the reasons may be the market income of the high threshold, estimates the director of Valtteri Virtanen Competition and consumer agency. The threshold of the background is, inter alia, the rest of Europe, a different gauge and VR’s strong position.

the FCCA has cleared VR’s market position the last time the Russian rail freight transport (move to another service).

We have had several degrees, while some entities have had doubts about VR’s guilty of dominant market position abuse. Any investigation does not, however, found no evidence of dominant position abuse, Smith said.

goods traffic competitor Fenniarail operated five locomotives in different parts of Finland. Jari Tanskanen / Yle

it’s important that we have a functioning freight transport market, as its functionality will directly affect the industry of freight costs, Smith said.

chamber of Commerce: Competition could lower costs

the Competition sluggish the progression of attention has been paid to the central chamber of commerce. The central chamber of commerce of the leading transport and economic development policy expert Päivi Wood I hope that the race would truly begin.

– If the competition could be open, corporate transport needs to be able to serve much better. The cost is likely lower, and companies should be more options for transportation, Wood said.

Wood to keep the company in terms of bad, no real competition has not yet emerged.

– need to note that we have hard emissions reduction targets. They can be likely to answer better, if you could transport more rail, Wood look.

the Previous government planned a stock company, the current prevented a

Earlier, the government should promote competition in the equipment to the company. About the actors would have been able to rent wagons and locomotives, resulting in a large initial investment would not have been necessary.

on the other Hand, the stock should the company, at least initially transferred to the VR. VR is looked at, for example, that the locomotives are already effectively in use in passenger and goods transport.

the Present government has gone a stock company thoughts.

goods traffic passing through, even in sections where passenger trains are missing. The picture heinola from Jyrängön rail bridge. Blue Ojanperä / Yle

– we hoped that the planned stock of the company would be served on the person – and goods traffic to and through it would have made the market more open, Wood said.

Fenniarail frets policy was bouncing off of the solemnity.

– Preceding government to consider a long option, where the stock would be transferred to the stock company. Too long we wait. When the current government during the alignment has been poured, we have made decisions to invest in their own fleet, tell fennia rail Hakavuori.

FCCA:n Virtanen estimates that some sort of stock of the company would enable competitors more easily to enter the market.

– however, It would require careful preparation and impact assessment. In practice the question is difficult and complex, Virtanen formats.

see also:

Outokumpu wants to move a million tonnes of ore transport rubber wheels on the rails – emissions can even be zero, but rataväli needs power

Tracks crossed by Heinolaa, but those along won’t get you anywhere – small towns is envisioned rail links and streetcar lines

This new diesel locomotive of VR space of 60 pieces – price of about eur 200 million

VR competitor pulled the first freight cars from the Russian border to the factory – Fenniarail that birch fiber at UPM:an

Subscribe Yle newsletters!

Proceed to order