News and press releases

VR and the Finnish Defence Forces deepen cooperation to strengthen Finland’s security of supply

Rail transportation is very important for military mobility. VR and the Finnish Defence Forces have signed a partnership agreement that strengthens rail transport capabilities that are critical to Finland’s security of supply and supports the Defence Forces’ military mobility.

3. September 2026 Press releases News and current issues

Electrically driven roundwood train transports to Kemi bioproduct mill have started

The transport of roundwood by train to Metsä Group's Kemi bioproduct mill has started for trial run of the mill.VR's first roundwood train from Rovaniemi to the Kemi mill was operated electrically on Friday, 21 April. VR and the client designed the highly efficient and environmentally friendly solution together to ensure the supply of wood by railway transport to the Kemi bioproduct mill.

21. April 2023 Press releases News and current issues

VR and Metsä Group intensify their cooperation on sustainability

Both VR and Metsä Group are companies with major role in the society and they therefore play an important part in improving environmental performance and responsibility. The companies are intensifying their cooperation on sustainability in logistics and have agreed a new joint target to halve emissions from transport covered by their cooperation by 2030. In addition, Metsä Group aims to transfer some of its current road transports to railways. For Metsä Group, the measures would represent a total emission reduction of around 14,000 tCO2e per year, which is equivalent to more than 25,000 average lorry journeys.

13. December 2022 Press releases

VR is starting an energy efficiency programme which aims to increase the efficiency of energy use by 5–10% and to involve all VR employees and stakeholders in energy saving efforts. The methods include promoting economical driving methods, improving traffic and fleet planning, improving the energy consumption of railway yards and making better use of data and analytics in monitoring energy consumption.  

7. November 2022 News and current issues

Arriva Sverige AB transfers to the ownership of VR Group 1st of July 2022

Arriva Sverige AB, sold by the Arriva International Ltd, has been transferred to the ownership of the VR Group. The contract between Arriva International Ltd which is owned by the Deutsche Bahn and VR Group was signed earlier this spring on 24th of March 2022. 

1. July 2022 Press releases

VR terminates contracts related to the transport of goods between Russia and Finland

On 6 April, the Board of Directors of VR Group made a decision to stop freight traffic between Russia and Finland and, on this basis, the company has prepared a plan to shut down traffic, in consultation with customers and taking into account the security of supply. The termination of contracts under the plan has been initiated and the traffic will cease completely by the end of the year at the latest.

3. May 2022 Press releases

VR discontinues its Eastern freight traffic in a controlled manner

On 6th of April, 2022, VR Group’s Board of Directors made the decision to discontinue the Eastern freight traffic in a controlled manner. With this decision, VR Transpoint, which is responsible for the freight traffic, will draw up a traffic rundown plan. 

6. April 2022 Press releases

VR Transpoint's eastern freight traffic starts

We previously announced that we would be suspending VR Transpoint's eastern freight traffic on 27 March 2022 as a result of the UK’s sanctions against Russian Railways (RZD). However, according to the clarification we have received from the UK authorities, these sanctions do not apply to the VR Group's contracts. VR Transpoint's eastern freight traffic will resume on Wednesday, 30 March.

30. March 2022 Press releases

VR Transpoint is suspending freight traffic from Russia until further notice due to sanctions

VR Transpoint is suspending the traffic of freight wagons from Russia as of 12 noon on Sunday 27 March 2022.

26. March 2022 Press releases