Finnish state railway company VR Group has ordered nine sleeping cars and eight freight cars from the Škoda Group. The value of the contract is 50 million Euros and the trains will be produced at the Škoda Group's Finnish production facility in Otanmäki. They will enter service at the end of 2025. The contract also includes the option to purchase 30 bed wagons and 30 freight wagons.
The popularity of night train transport is growing in Finland. The new train cars will complement the VR Group's existing fleet of night trains, thus making it possible to meet the existing demand among passengers.
“The popularity of night train travel has grown significantly in recent years,” said Elisa Markula, CEO of VR. With this new fleet, we want to meet the wishes of our customers and further enhance the travel experience. For example, it will be more comfortable than ever to work and enjoy your meals in your own cabin, ”says she.
Individual cabins are designed to resemble hotel rooms so that passengers can both work comfortably and rest undisturbed during the journey. All cabins are equipped with toilet, some have their own shower. For families with children, there are special family cabins with baby cots. In addition to comfort, care was taken to ensure that the cabins were soundproofed so that passengers could enjoy the journey.
Antti Korhonen, Sales Director for the Northern Region of the Škoda Group, said: “Our fleet meets the requirements of VR, bringing comfort, pleasure and convenience to night train travel. The night train is a comfortable and attractive alternative to both traveling by car and flying. Key factors are cabin functionality, private toilet/shower and functional furniture, which we attach great importance to,” he explains. “Our night train concept for VR Group is a combination of comfort and functionality. The cabins are as comfortable for easy vacation travel as they are functional for working in peace and quiet during the journey,” he continues.
The sleeper buses will enter service on existing night routes from Helsinki, Turku and Tampere to Oulu, Rovaniemi, Kemijärvi and Kolari. Sleeper cars will be complemented by freight cars for cars, allowing passengers to transport their vehicles at the same time.
The contract also includes the option to purchase an additional 30 sleeper cars and 30 freight cars for cars. Thanks to this option, in the future it will be possible to increase the frequency of voyages and extend routes. In addition, this option will allow the replacement of old train wagons that are about to expire.
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