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Finnish State takes ownership of trains for PSO services

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VR's Sm4 series train for short-distance services at Helsinki Central Station (CC BY SA) ANTONIO VERA-Flickr.

VR's Sm4 series train for short-distance services at Helsinki Central Station (CC BY SA) ANTONIO VERA-Flickr.

VR-Group Plc , the public operator of Finland, yesterday agreed to transfer to the State its entire shareholding in Suomen Ostoliikennekalusto Oy, valued at EUR 15,1 million.

Ownership will officially pass to the state on 1 November and will be placed under the direct supervision of the Prime Minister’s Office, severing the link with the incumbent operator.

Suomen Ostoliikennekalusto Oy is the state-owned company in charge of managing the rolling stock used in OSP rail services. It was created in response to the Finnish government’s objective of promoting competition in passenger rail transport. The current contract with VR expires at the end of 2030.

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As the State owns the trains, it prevents operators who want to compete from having to make a large investment in rolling stock or having to rent it from a competitor. With the transfer of the operator VR to the State, it is ensured that all operators have equal access to the equipment necessary to provide the service.

It is planned that part of the trains currently in use by VR will be transferred to Suomen Ostoliikennekalusto Oy at the beginning of 2026.

This is one of the ways of managing the fleet for state-contracted services. In France it is the regions that own the trains, in Germany it is the operators themselves, while in the UK it is private companies.

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