In the initial phase, the infrastructure and fleet will enable the transport of containers and trailers by train.
"We have explored the possibility of introducing combined transport with various operators - and there seems to be interest. A sufficient base volume would allow the service to be launched as early as next year. As demand grows, capacity can be increased to meet customer needs. Combined transport also supports emission reduction targets very well," says Eljas Koistinen, Senior Vice President, Logistics at VR Transpoint.
The combined transport service will initially run from the port of Vuosaari to Oulu. Potential customers include transport companies, retail chains and shipping lines. The service would also enable operators to use rail transport, which has not been possible until now.
"Combined transport is a solution to increase the competitiveness of environmentally friendly rail transport and its modal share in Finland. Our vision is to create an extensive intermodal network between several cities and, in the long term, even to find solutions that would allow Finnish products to reach Central Europe by rail," Koistinen concludes.
