Finland and Russia launch new freight service

The first train in a new freight service between Finland and Russia arrived in Moscow on Tuesday. Container Trans Scandinavia is a joint venture boosting container transport between the two countries.

The train of 54 containers took only 16 hours to travel from the Finnish border to Moscow.

Improved customs procedures have cut 4 hours from the travel time.

The head of Russian railways, Vladimir Yakunin, told the new service makes rail freight more competitive with road transport.

“The entire price for delivery of a container from Finland to Moscow is $ US 1,700, while the same kind of service via automobile transport costs approximately $ US 2,700. The advantages are obvious,” Vladimir Yakunin stressed.