Some trains to and from Helsinki were canceled due to staff shortages, but otherwise railway officials expect smoother service this weekend.
Railway officials, who then came under fire chaotic delays over the weekend, Saturday reported completed repairs on two routes — along with scattered cancellations and delays.
State rail company VR said damage to the electric track between Riihimäki and Lahti had been repaired and traffic would return to normal around 9 a.m. Saturday. Previously, G trains were replaced by buses.
The damage, which occurred on Friday evening, was repaired faster than previously estimated, according to Fintraffic’s rail traffic center.
According to a preliminary estimate, repairs would last until Saturday evening, potentially congesting traffic on the main south-central artery.
Also on Saturday morning, VR announced cancellations of some R trains on the Helsinki-Riihimäki route and Z trains between Helsinki and Lahti due to staff shortages. A morning train from Tampere to Vaasa was also delayed.
Trains back to normal near Rovaniemi
The Rail Traffic Center also announced that disruptions to rail traffic between Oulu, Kemi and Rovaniemi in northern Finland have ended.
On Friday, a malfunctioning freight train interrupted rail traffic between Rovaniemi, the capital of Finnish Lapland, and the village of Muurola, 25 km to the southwest.
According to the Rail Traffic Center, the disabled train was moved to Rovaniemi so that traffic could continue.
However, Saturday morning’s first IC22 passenger train was still being replaced by buses between Rovaniemi and Muurola, the center said.
This is one of the busiest weekends of the summer, with some big music festivals as well as the Helsinki Pride parade and the annual gathering of the conservative Laestadian Lutheran movement. This year Summer Services (Suviseurat) will be held in Loppi, south of Hämeenlinna.
Fatal accident near Helsinki Airport
Meanwhile, on Ring 3 in Vantaa, there were road delays after a fatal accident on Saturday morning. An 18-year-old woman was killed in a car accident about 9:30 a.m.
Rescue officials say the vehicle went off the road at the Vantaanportti ramp, just south of Helsinki airport. The driveway was expected to be closed for about an hour, disrupting westbound traffic.