VR branded train starts journey in Sweden

The first VR branded green train, featuring a new exterior design on Monday marked the start of operation on the Stockholm–Gothenburg route in Sweden, said national railway operator VR in a press release.

Earlier in May, VR acquired the long-distance train operations of MTRX, a Swedish subsidiary of MTR Nordic.

The operations will now continue under the VR brand, with customer service available

"With excellent travel experience and high punctuality, we can attract more people to choose train travel. Sweden and Finland are quite similar as train countries in terms of weather conditions, infrastructure, and travel habits," said VR's Chief Executive Officer Elisa Markula.

Sweden is an interesting growth area for VR, as the market for commercial long-distance traffic is about twice the size compared to Finland.

Since 2022, VR has established its position in Swedish purchased traffic market, with the latest achievement being the Norrtåg operating agreement in Sweden's northernmost counties, where operations will commence in December 2025.