The Ministry of Transport and Communications in Finland recently published a report on the feasibility of changing the track gauge in the country. The report concludes that it would not be cost-effective to switch from the current track gauge of 1524 mm to the standard European track gauge of 1435 mm.
The report assesses three alternatives for implementing the European track gauge: building a new trunk line from Helsinki to Tornio with a European gauge, building the rail lines of new project companies using the European track gauge, and migrating the entire TEN-T network in Finland to the European track gauge.
Finland has criticized the European Commission's proposal for a regulation that new TEN-T rail connections be built in the European standard nominal track gauge without exceptions, and that a migration plan be developed towards this European standard nominal track gauge. The report analyses the alternatives from the perspective of accessibility, sustainability, efficiency, and security of supply. While a single European track gauge could facilitate international passenger and freight traffic and improve the availability of rolling stock, the report suggests that changing the track gauge would involve significant costs that are not justified by the potential benefits.
Out of these alternatives, the report suggests that building a new trunk line from Helsinki to Tornio with a European gauge would bring the greatest benefits and the smallest disadvantages. However, a more detailed analysis of the construction of 1435 mm gauge lines by the new project companies is needed. On the other hand, the report also states that the negative impacts of changing the entire TEN-T network in Finland to the European gauge would outweigh the potential benefits. The changes would have a negative impact on the level of transport services, especially for the transport of raw timber and other industrial goods.
The report suggests that more detailed cost-benefit calculations on the track gauge changes and an assessment of the environmental impact of the implementation are needed. While the report concludes that changing the track gauge would not be cost-effective, it highlights the importance of considering other aspects besides transport, in particular security of supply and the development of the EU's transport networks, when assessing the alternatives.
