Kouvola is home to a large passenger train terminal, the only TEN-T core network terminal in Finland. It is operated by Kouvola Innovation Oy. The station serves commuter traffic trains D, G, M and O. Conductors can impose an EUR 80 penalty fare for passengers without a valid ticket.
Thales has been selected to supply and install ETCS Level 2 signalling on the Kotka-Kouvola-Hamina line. It will be the first track in Finland with ETCS and will serve as a test track before the launch of a nation-wide update to the system.
Commuter service
The railways in Finland have a good reputation for being spacious and comfortable, and there are express connections from many places to Helsinki. Some trains also serve other cities in Finland, but most commuter routes run between Helsinki and other cities.
Commuter trains operate on lines D, G, M, O, R and T. A single ticket costs EUR 80, but if you travel often, consider a multi-ticket. Conductors can impose an EUR 80 penalty fare on passengers without a valid ticket, so make sure to purchase one before travelling.
Ferries connect the country’s islands and mainland. Finnlines operates a number of ferry services, including the MS Finlandia. It is a Ro-Ro passenger vessel that can carry up to 2080 passengers and 665 cars or trucks/trailers. The company is headquartered in Helsinki. Its motto is “What water separates, the ferry connects”. Its vessels sail to most of the major ports in Finland and Sweden. The service is particularly busy during the summer.
InterCity service
The country’s railway service is run by VR Group. The company offers InterCity trains that serve Finland’s main cities several times a day. They also offer sleeper cars for long-distance trips. They can be a bit pricey, but are more comfortable than the ordinary seats on regular trains. The train company also has faster tilting Pendolino trains, which are available for an additional fee.
Ferries connect Finland with Estonia and Sweden. Some of them are privately operated, while others are owned by Finferries. The company has over 40 routes throughout the country. Its passenger fleet consists of over 60 ships, including six large cruise liners.
The Finnish Transport Agency operates an online point-to-point local and long-distance journey planner called Reittiopas. This tool lets you enter your starting and destination addresses, and select a time of travel. It will then show you all possible ways to get there, including flights, buses and rail connections. It also displays walking distances.
High-speed service
Kouvola is one of the busiest cross-border train stations in Finland. It is a departure point for trains to Helsinki via Lahti, to Kotka, to Pieksamaki and Kuopio, and to Russia from the Vainikkala border control station. The city also has the newspaper Kouvolan Sanomat and is home to the Verla factory, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Commuter traffic is served by VR’s new Z-train. As of 30 December 2021, the old multi-tickets for the route from (Helsinki or) Lahti to Kouvola will be refunded and replaced with a new multi-ticket for commuter trains.
Kouvola is also an important freight hub. In 2017 it handled 4.4 million tonnes of cargo, most of which was transported to and from neighbouring Russia. The 335-kilometre railway section between Seinajoki and Oulu will be improved this year with a higher allowed axle load, which will reduce travel times and increase the number of service hours, as well as decrease the line’s sensitivity to disruptions.
Night service
Kouvola is surrounded by the municipalities of Hamina, Heiola, Iitti, Loviisa and Mantyharju. It has a wealth of forests and lakes and is characterized by the landscape division of Pohjois-Kymenlaakso, which divides into a wooded northern part and an even and cultivated southern part.
Most of the passenger train services in Finland are operated by state-owned VR, which operates on a 9,216 km (5,727 mi) network with a broad 1,524 m (4 ft) track gauge. The fastest journey to Helsinki takes just over an hour, while St. Petersburg is about two hours away.
In addition to the long-distance railway lines, ferries are an important means of transport in the region. Ferry operators such as Eckero Line, Tallink & Silja Line and Viking Line compete on routes from Helsinki to Tallinn and Turku. These ferries offer an opportunity to enjoy the scenic surroundings of Aland and its archipelago. If you have a multi-ticket and do not use all of your journeys, you can exceptionally cancel them and purchase a new one for commuter trains.
