Finnish train operator VR will stop its twice-daily service from Helsinki to St Petersburg, closing down the last remaining rail route for Russians who want to travel directly to the EU.

The service is technically owned by a company called Karelian Trains, a joint venture between VR and Russian Railways which each own a 50% stake in the company.

The Allegro trains are being stopped because of EU sanctions, and VR says that people who wanted to leave Russia, including Finnish citizens, have had "safe passage" until now.

"We have continued to operate the Allegro in accordance with the authorities' instructions, with the aim of securing access to Finland for Finns. During these weeks, people who wanted to leave Russia have had time to leave the country" says Topi Simola, VR's Senior Vice President for Passenger Services in a statement.

"Now, due to the sanctions, it is no longer appropriate to continue the Allegro service" he adds.

The services will wind down this coming weekend, with the last trains departing from both cities on Sunday 27th March.


In the first weeks after the Kremlin launched its invasion of Ukraine, there was an increase in the number of passengers using the high-speed Allegro trains, which connect the Finnish capital with Russia's second city in just three hours 30 minutes.

More people used the train service to leave Russia as flight bans were imposed and air routes shut down.

But those numbers have now slumped.

"During the recent couple of weeks there has only been about 60% capacity daily, on the trains from St. Petersburg to Finland direction," VR's Head of Communications Tatu Tuominen tells Euronews.

"From Finland to St Petersburg it's been something like 25% capacity on the trains" he adds.

A separate overnight train service linking Moscow to Helsinki, with a stop in St Petersburg, was cancelled during the COVID pandemic and is currently still not operating. The "Lev Tolstoy" train was wholly owned and operated by Russian Railways.


https://www.euronews.com/2022/03/25/finland-to-stop-eu-s-last-direct-train-link-with-russia

Putin na ashawo..

End of road for Putin..

No nation including USA and China can survive entirely on their own

How some clowns believe that Russia can do that is still beyond my comprehension

To worsen it, they even use North Korea and Iran as examples

Seriously?

One thing about sanction is that the effect don't really kick in immediately

Europe will not find it easy in any way but Russia will wish they never entered the war

Getting tough for Putin as the day goes by