VR commuter rail lines explained
The Helsinki commuter rail system comprises four local and four regional services, each of which are identified by letters of the alphabet.
Letters have been used as service identifiers since 1972. This was originally inspired by the Copenhagen S-train system. Unlike Copenhagen, which maintains a strict alphabetical order, letters of Helsinki commuter rail services are often assigned on the basis of mnemonics, such as E for Espoo and K for Kerava, with care taken to ensure that the original letters did not sound or look similar, to avoid confusion. In recent years, however, this rule has been broken, with the train to Siuntio and the train now also serving Tampere.
Commuter train services operate on four railway lines, radiating from the Helsinki Central Station:
The VR commuter rail system consists of three local and four interurban services:
- The and and run from Helsinki to Riihimäki, Hämeenlinna (and) and Tampere, with various stopping patterns.
- The runs northbound from Helsinki on the Main Line, but separates on to the Lahti Line to run northeast just after Kerava.
- The forms Tampere's commuter rail. It runs from Nokia to Tampere, with some services extending to Toijala. As of August 2022, this now runs hourly throughout the day, with roughly two-hourly extensions to Toijala .
- The runs hourly from Lahti to Riihimäki.
- The runs mainly from Kotka Port to Kouvola, with some services running between Lahti and Kouvola/Kotka.
Current lines
Frequencies are for off-peak only (Monday-Saturday).
| Rantarata |
|---|
| Route | Line | tph | Calling at[1] | Stock |
|---|
| Helsinki to | | 2[2] | ,,,,,,,,, Kauklahti,,, | 1/2/3x Sm5[3] [4] [5] |
| Helsinki to Kauklahti | | ,,,,,,,, | 1/2x Sm5 |
| Helsinki to | | 6 | ,,,,, | 1x Sm5 |
| Ring Rail Line |
|---|
| Route | Line | tph | Calling at | Stock |
|---|
| Helsinki to Helsinki | / | 3 | ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
P trains run clockwise (in the above order), I trains run anti-clockwise (in the reverse order). Both trains run 3 times per hour (every 20 minutes). | 1/2x Sm5 |
| Helsinki to Helsinki-Vantaa Airport | / | 3 | ,,,,,,,,,,,
P trains run clockwise (in the above order), I trains run anti-clockwise (in the reverse order). Both trains run 3 times per hour (every 20 minutes). | 1/2x Sm5 |
| Helsinki-Riihimäki railway |
|---|
| Route | Line | tph | Calling at | Stock |
|---|
| Helsinki to | | 2 | ,,,,,,, | 1-4x Sm4 |
| Helsinki to | | 3 | ,,,,,,,,,,,, | 1-3x Sm5 |
| Kerava-Lahti railway |
|---|
| Route | Line | tph | Calling at | Stock |
|---|
| Helsinki to | | 1 | ,,,,, | 1/2x Sm4 | |
Special lines
Special lines are lines that do not run regularly, and are usually not listed (explicitly or even at all) on the HSL/VR map. These include the lines to Siuntio, Kouvola and Tampere.
| Rantarata |
|---|
| Route | Line | from Helsinki | to Helsinki | Calling at | Stock |
|---|
| Helsinki to | | 4 | 7 | ,,,, Kauklahti,,
Runs roughly hourly during peak hours, with one midday return. | 1/2x Sm5 |
| Helsinki to | | | | ,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Runs once every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday evening. | 1x Sm4 |
| Helsinki to | | 2 | 1 | ,,,,,,,,,,,,, Kauklahti,,,,
One return at about midnight and one outbound journey very early in the morning, which then becomes a Y train to Helsinki. | 1x Sm5 |
| Helsinki to | 6 | 6 | ,,,,,,,,,,,,, Kauklahti,,,,
Runs infrequently during early mornings and late evenings only. |
| Helsinki-Riihimäki railway |
|---|
| Route | Line | from Helsinki | to Helsinki | Calling at | Stock |
|---|
| Helsinki to | | 1 (from) | 1 | ,,,,,,,,,,
Forms the morning and is formed of the evening D train to/from Hämeenlinna. | 3x Sm4 |
| Helsinki to | | 1 | ,,,,,,,
Runs to Helsinki in the morning peak and from Helsinki in the evening peak. |
| Helsinki to | | 10 | 9 | ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Services are formed of between 2 and 4 units as far as Riihimäki, where the train length is reduced to 1 or 2 units. In the reverse direction, 1 or 2 units depart Tampere, with between 1 and 3 units added to the front at Riihimäki. | 1-4x Sm4 |
| Kerava-Lahti railway |
|---|
| Route | Line | from Helsinki | to Helsinki | Calling at | Stock |
|---|
| Helsinki to | | 3 | 3 | ,,,,,,,,,,, | 2x Sm4 or 3x Sm2 or 1x Sr1/Sr2/Sr3 + 2/3x Eil + 1x Eilf + 3x Eil | |
Lines not terminating in Helsinki
These lines have both termini outside of the HSL area and include all lines from the VR commuter rail system.
- The train runs from Nokia to Tampere and Toijala. It is Tampere's sole commuter rail line.
- The train runs from Riihimäki to Lahti.
- The train runs from Lahti to Kouvola/Kotkan satama and Kouvola to Kotkan satama.
| Rantarata |
|---|
| Route | Line | from Hanko | to Hanko | Calling at | Stock |
|---|
| Karis to | | 6/7 | 6/7 | , Ekenäs,,,, | 1x Sm4 |
| Riihimäki-Saint Petersburg railway |
|---|
| Route | Line | from Lahti | to Lahti | Calling at | Stock |
|---|
| to | | 16[6] | 18 | ,,,,, | 1x Sm2[7] [8] [9] [10] |
| to | | 2[11] | ,,,, |
| to | 3 | ,,,,,,,,,,,, |
| to | 6 (to/from Kouvola) | ,,,,,, |
| Helsinki-Riihimäki railway |
|---|
| Route | Line | from Tampere | to Tampere | Calling at | Stock |
|---|
| to | | 1 | 0 | ,,,,,,, [12] [13] | 1/2x Sm2[14] [15] or 2x Sm4 |
| to | | 2 | 2 | ,,,,,,,,, | 1/2x Sm2 or 2x Sm4 |
| Tampere–Pori railway |
|---|
| Route | Line | | Calling at | Stock |
|---|
| to | | 6[16] [17] |
3 services a day are formed of R trains from Helsinki, which run up to Nokia and back in between Tampere to Helsinki runs.[18] [19] [20] [21] | 1x Sm2[22] or 2x Sm4 |
| to | 1 | ,,, | 1x Sm2[23] [24] |
| to | , | |
References
All cited material is in Finnish only unless stated otherwise.
Notes and References
- https://hslfi.azureedge.net/globalassets/matkustaminen/tulostettavat-aikataulut-ja-kartat/reittikartat/liikennevalineittain/hsl_lahiliikennelinjat_pysty_700x1000_8_2021_paino.pdf HSL & VR commuter rail map 2021–22 (also in Swedish and English)
- Web site: Kirkkonummi. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20220104124239/https://juliadata.fi/timetables?s=KKN&d=10.1.2022. 2022-01-04. 2022-01-04. juliadata.fi.
- Web site: HL 8466, ti 4.1.2022 13:37, Kirkkonummi – Helsinki asema. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20220104130036/https://juliadata.fi/timetables?s=8466&d=4.1.2022. 2022-01-04. 2022-01-04. juliadata.fi.
- Web site: HL 8446, ti 4.1.2022 8:37, Kirkkonummi – Helsinki asema. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20220104125840/https://juliadata.fi/timetables?s=8446&d=4.1.2022. 2022-01-04. 2022-01-04. juliadata.fi.
- Web site: HL 8442, ti 4.1.2022 7:37, Kirkkonummi – Helsinki asema. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20220104125412/https://juliadata.fi/timetables?s=8442&d=4.1.2022. 2022-01-04. 2022-01-04. juliadata.fi.
- https://assets.ctfassets.net/gshi3wijcp49/d6d7M1ILpXJyeqkQLcLgX/99adfb4228c943e90da136648cf3b57a/VR_Aikataulutaulukot_12-12-2021_26-03-2022_v081021.pdf#page=23 VR Timetable 12A 12.12.2021 – 26.3.2022
- Web site: HL 9936, ke 5.1.2022 13:04, Lahti – Riihimäki asema. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20220105091823/https://juliadata.fi/timetables?s=9936&d=5.1.2022. 2022-01-05. 2022-01-05. juliadata.fi.
- Web site: HL 1663, ke 5.1.2022 9:46, Lahti – Kouvola asema. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20220105091440/https://juliadata.fi/timetables?s=1663&d=5.1.2022. 2022-01-05. 2022-01-05. juliadata.fi.
- Web site: HL 1668, ke 5.1.2022 15:13, Kotkan satama – Lahti. https://web.archive.org/web/20220105091353/https://juliadata.fi/timetables?s=1668&d=5.1.2022. 2022-01-05. 2022-01-05. juliadata.fi.
- Web site: HL 1686, ke 5.1.2022 8:55, Kotkan satama – Kouvola asema. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20220105091151/https://juliadata.fi/timetables?s=1686&d=5.1.2022. 2022-01-05. 2022-01-05. juliadata.fi.
- https://assets.ctfassets.net/gshi3wijcp49/d6d7M1ILpXJyeqkQLcLgX/99adfb4228c943e90da136648cf3b57a/VR_Aikataulutaulukot_12-12-2021_26-03-2022_v081021.pdf#page=21 VR Timetable 12 12.12.2021 – 26.3.2022
- Web site: Tampere asema. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20220105092023/https://juliadata.fi/timetables?s=tpe&d=5.1.2022. 2022-01-05. 2022-01-05. juliadata.fi.
- Web site: HL 9740, ke 5.1.2022 23:35, Tampere asema – Riihimäki asema. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20220105092122/https://juliadata.fi/timetables?s=9740&d=5.1.2022. 2022-01-05. 2022-01-05. juliadata.fi.
- Web site: HL 9606, ke 5.1.2022 7:25, Tampere asema – Riihimäki asema. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20220105092059/https://juliadata.fi/timetables?s=9606&d=5.1.2022. 2022-01-05. 2022-01-05. juliadata.fi.
- Web site: HL 9708, ke 5.1.2022 17:35, Tampere asema – Riihimäki asema. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20220105092603/https://juliadata.fi/timetables?s=9708&d=5.1.2022. 2022-01-05. 2022-01-05. juliadata.fi.
- https://assets.ctfassets.net/gshi3wijcp49/d6d7M1ILpXJyeqkQLcLgX/99adfb4228c943e90da136648cf3b57a/VR_Aikataulutaulukot_12-12-2021_26-03-2022_v081021.pdf#page=6 VR Timetable 3 12.12.2021 – 26.3.2022
- https://assets.ctfassets.net/gshi3wijcp49/d6d7M1ILpXJyeqkQLcLgX/99adfb4228c943e90da136648cf3b57a/VR_Aikataulutaulukot_12-12-2021_26-03-2022_v081021.pdf#page=8 VR Timetable 4 12.12.2021 – 26.3.2022
- Web site: HL 9621, ke 5.1.2022 5:10, Helsinki asema – Tampere asema. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20220105100747/https://juliadata.fi/timetables?s=9621&d=5.1.2022. 2022-01-05. 2022-01-05. juliadata.fi.
- Web site: HL 1786, ke 5.1.2022 8:02, Nokia – Tampere asema. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20220105100808/https://juliadata.fi/timetables?s=1786&d=5.1.2022. 2022-01-05. 2022-01-05. juliadata.fi.
- Web site: HL 1796, ke 5.1.2022 18:05, Nokia – Tampere asema. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20220105101032/https://juliadata.fi/timetables?s=1796&d=5.1.2022. 2022-01-05. 2022-01-05. juliadata.fi.
- Web site: HL 1792, ke 5.1.2022 16:05, Nokia – Tampere asema. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20220105101114/https://juliadata.fi/timetables?s=1792&d=5.1.2022. 2022-01-05. 2022-01-05. juliadata.fi.
- Web site: HL 1781, ke 5.1.2022 5:32, Tampere asema – Nokia. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20220105101433/https://juliadata.fi/timetables?s=1781&d=5.1.2022. 2022-01-05. 2022-01-05. juliadata.fi.
- Web site: HL 1793, ke 5.1.2022 16:06, Toijala – Nokia. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20220105101436/https://juliadata.fi/timetables?s=1793&d=5.1.2022. 2022-01-05. 2022-01-05. juliadata.fi.
- Web site: HL 1788, ke 5.1.2022 7:08, Tampere asema – Toijala. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20220105101435/https://juliadata.fi/timetables?s=1788&d=5.1.2022. 2022-01-05. 2022-01-05. juliadata.fi.
