Today is the start of a trip from Stockholm to St.Petersburg through Finland. I will be taking a ferry over the sea and train from Finland to Russia.
There are several daily ferry services between Sweden and Finland. I will be taking this Viking Line ferry, departing time is 16:30 and the arrival is 10:10 next morning (local time).
The cabin
The terminal is close to the central Stockholm
Saltsjöqvarn mill industry built 1890, today it is a hotel
Danvikshem hospital from 1915
Qvarnen tre kronor from 1898
Nacka strand and the monument/fountain "Gud Fader på himmelsbågen" by Carl Milles
Silja Line and Tallink ferries
Enternainment onboard
Next morning the ferry is still at open sea
Sunrise
Approaching Helsinki
Sveaborg fortress
Boat to Tallinn
Uspenskin katedraali
Tram from ferry terminal to train station
Central station in Helsinki designed by Eliel Saarinen in 1919
Helsinki tram network was built in 1891. Here are two Transtech Artic trams.
I'm leaving my bag in the locker here at the station before taking the train later
There are several daily services to St.Petersburg. I will be taking the 16:00 service, but since I'm early here at the station, I have a chance to view the previous service at 11:00
Allegro train service started operating in 2010 between the two cities reducing the travel time with 2 hours (previously 5h30min, now 3h30min).
Allegro service is using VR Class Sm6 (to the left) which is a very similar to VR Class Sm3 (to the right).
From Wikipedia: "The Sm6 appears similar to VR's earlier Sm3 Alstom Pendolino series, but is based on the fourth generation 'New Pendolino' designs and its construction differs from the Sm3 in many ways"
From Wikipedia: "The Sm6 is equipped to operate on both the Finnish and the Russian railway networks. The units have dual-voltage electrical equipment able to use both the Finnish 25 kV 50 Hz alternating current and the Russian 3 kV direct current electrification."
Top speed is 220km/h
VR Class Sr2 built by SLM/ABB later by Adtranz/Bombardier and assembled by Transtech Oy. They are closely based on the class Re460 locomotives of SBB.
JKOY Class Sm5 (Stadler Flirt) for airport operation services.
VR Class Sm3 Pendolino is based on FS Class ETR 460. The train is using tilting technology and has been in service since 1992.
VR Class Sm4 EMU manufactured by CAF in 2005
Valmet MLNRV II (NrII) from the 80's (to the left) and Bombardier Variotram from the 00's (to the right).
Mannerheim street
GT8 tram from the 60's as a heritage service
Senate Square and the Statue of Alexander II
Helsinki Cathedral
Still many reminders of when Finland was part of Russian Empire between 1809 and 1917
Swedish Embassy designed to look like Stockholm Palace.
Uspenski Cathedral is an Eastern Orthodox church.
Uspenski Cathedral is claimed to be the largest orthodox church in Western Europe
VR Class Sm2 from the 70's (to the left) and Allegro train (to the right) which I'm about to take
The train has one 1st class coach. The price is very high compared to many European high speed trains, standard price is 79EUR for 2nd and 130EUR for 1st class.
In 1st class a light meal is served. Beer is not included, has to be purchased separately.
Sr1 locomotives
The train is taking Kerava-Lahti railway, the Lahti-Kouvola
From Kouvola the train takes the railway further east towards Iisalmi
CZ Loko type 774.7F
Russian freight trains
Utti
Taavetti
2nd class coach
Another Sm6
Intercity train
Pulsa
Vainikkala border station. Allegro train is only allowed for passengers for travelling between the two countries (even if it has several stops along its route), so the passport/border control is made on board and there is no need for leaving the train.
Vyborg in Russia
The doors are equipped with a retractable step to make boarding from both Finnish 550 mm high and Russian 1,100 mm high platforms easy. Here is the door prepared for Russian platform.
While the other side door is prepared for Finnish platform.
The train has arrived to Finland Station in St.Petersburg
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