Finland’s Turbo Trains: Automated Rail Revolution Leaves Sweden and Norway’s Tourism in the Dust

Published on
March 11, 2026

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Finland is steadily turning train journeys into the kind of experience travellers remember long after a trip ends. On the Kouvola–Kotka/Hamina test track, automatic operation trials under the Digirail project hint at a future where visitors glide between cities, ports and nature areas with less stress and more time for the scenery. For many international tourists, the promise of smoother, more punctual rail services could be the nudge that makes an all‑rail itinerary across Finland feel not only possible but truly appealing.

Digital rails behind future visitor journeys

Digirail is Finland’s large‑scale modernisation of railway signalling and train control, replacing an ageing national system with a modern radio‑based solution. The new digital train control system is designed to increase rail capacity, improve punctuality and allow more trains and passengers on existing tracks. For tourism, those changes matter because they translate into more departures on popular routes and fewer bottlenecks during peak seasons. When travellers can choose from several well‑timed trains instead of one or two crowded options, it becomes easier to plan multi‑stop trips that link cities, ski resorts and lake districts.

Automatic operation tests and comfort for visitors

On the Digirail test track, Finland is trialling automatic train operation on Sm5 units equipped with the European Train Control System and ATO test equipment. The tests provide experience with different rolling stock and ensure that the systems support future goals of automatic operation as fully as possible. Infrastructure is being prepared for a level of automation where a driver remains on board while the system manages driving tasks and the driver focuses on safety and starting the automatic run. For future visitors, this setup can mean smoother acceleration, more consistent speeds and fewer minor delays caused by human driving variations. Those details directly influence how relaxed a long‑distance journey feels, especially for families, older travellers and first‑time rail users.

Capacity, punctuality and tourism growth

Digital train control could significantly increase rail capacity on busy parts of the network. Higher capacity allows operators to shorten intervals between trains, ease congestion and recover faster from disruptions. For tourism, this helps during peak holiday periods when domestic and international passengers converge on the same lines to reach festivals, winter destinations or coastal cabins. More reliable timetables also make rail‑based itineraries a safer choice for visitors catching ferries, domestic flights or cruise departures from Finnish ports.

Supporting sustainable and experience‑rich travel

Rail modernisation in Finland links closely to a wider push for sustainable transport and a higher market share for trains. As capacity and punctuality improve, passengers are more likely to choose trains over cars on long domestic trips, which supports climate goals and reduces emissions. This shift fits perfectly with tourism strategies that highlight Finland’s forests, lakes and national parks, because trains can deliver visitors directly to gateway towns in a low‑carbon way. With better digital systems, passengers can also receive more timely travel information and enjoy smoother “door to destination” chains combining rail, local transport and outdoor activities.

A more welcoming rail experience for travellers

Finland now positions itself as a leader in digital rail, with Digirail seen as essential for keeping train travel competitive and attractive. As the project moves from testing to wider deployment, tourists are likely to notice quieter rides, clearer information, more frequent departures and easier connections between urban hubs and remote landscapes. Those improvements do more than move people efficiently; they help visitors feel confident enough to explore beyond the capital, to smaller towns, ski slopes or hiking trails reached comfortably by train. In the coming years, many travellers may remember Finland not just for its saunas and midnight sun, but also for the calm, reliable trains that carried them between those moments.