About 1.25 million journeys were made by train in long-distance traffic in Finland in March, showing a year-on-year increase of 19%, said national railway operator VR in a press release on Wednesday.
Growth was driven especially by Easter, which fell at the end of March.
"In March, we were able to return to normal traffic following the track damage that occurred in February. The growth in passenger volumes in long-distance traffic was also driven by Easter, during which many people travelled to, for example, the north to enjoy the spring snow,” said Elisa Markula, Chief Executive Officer of VR.
The volume of goods transported by rail was about 1.0 million tonnes in March.
In January–March this year, 4.7 (5.9) million tonnes of goods were transported by rail, which is about 20% less than in the previous year.
The four-week political strike had a significant impact on freight traffic volumes.
In March, 83.8% of long-distance trains ran on time, when punctuality is measured with an accuracy of 5 minutes.
The majority of the delays, about 47%, were due to causes related to the railway managed by the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency, while 30% were due to VR and 23% due to other reasons.
The punctuality of long-distance trains was negatively affected by temporary speed limits in particular.
The punctuality of VR commuter trains in March was 97%. The causes of delays were divided among track-related causes (48%), other causes (35%) and VR-related causes (16%).
The occupancy rate of long-distance train customer seats was 45% in January–March (46% in 2023).
"The occupancy rate of long-distance train customer seats in 2023 was 48%, which means that, on average, half of the long-distance train seats were not sold, although some of the services were sold out on the most popular routes during peak hours. Our aim is to influence the occupancy rate of trains through pricing that guides customers to buy tickets for less busy services. The increase in journey volumes in 2023 shows that the pricing reform has worked," Markula said.
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
I’m glad to see the increase in long-distance passengers for VR. It’s great that the service is returning to normal after the track damage. I hope they can continue to improve punctuality to provide a reliable transportation option for all passengers.
Wow, that’s quite a growth in long-distance passengers! I wonder how VR plans to handle the increase in traffic volume, especially during peak seasons like Easter?
Hi EmilySmith92! It’s indeed impressive to see such growth in passenger numbers for VR. According to their CEO, Elisa Markula, the increase was mainly driven by events like Easter. VR has been working to improve punctuality, but peak seasons like Easter can still pose challenges. Hopefully, they have strategies in place to manage the increased traffic smoothly.
“It’s great to see the increase in long-distance passengers for VR in March, especially due to the Easter season. Hopefully, this trend continues throughout the year.”
Was the increase in long-distance passengers in March mainly due to the Easter holidays or were there other contributing factors?
It’s great to see the increase in long-distance passengers for VR in March! The growth is a positive sign, especially after the challenges faced in February. It’s interesting to note how Easter also played a role in driving these numbers up, showing the importance of holiday travel for the company.
It’s great to see the increase in long-distance travelers for virtual reality journeys in Finland. The growth in passenger volumes and goods transported by rail shows a positive trend. Looking forward to more people experiencing the beauty of the north during spring!