There is a few operational narrow-gauge railways in Finland. Most famous is Jokioinen Museum Railway – the only narrow-gauge railway in the country with scheduled passenger traffic. The remaining narrow-gauge railways run occasionally, usually several times a year.
Last updated: 15.03.2024
Jokioinen Museum Railway – vintage trains run between Jokioinen and Humppila stations. The train covers a route of approximately 14 kilometers in one hour. On the way – at Minkiö station passenger can visit a small narrow-gauge railway museum. The trains are pulled by retro steam or diesel locomotives. Steam trains began running on the Jokioinen Museum Railway between Jokioinen and Minkiö in the summer of 1978. In 1994 an additional 8 km of rebuilt track between Minkiö and Humppila was opened for traffic.
The narrow-gauge railway station in Humppila is located right next to the Finnish Railway station. You can reach it by trains from Turku to Tampere.
Jokioinen Museum Railway – official website
Nykarleby Jernväg – a remnant of the former Kovjoki – Nykarleby narrow-gauge railway, operating in 1899-1916. The former narrow-gauge line was built because the town of Nykarleby (Finnish name Uusikaarlepyy) was located far from the standard-gauge railway line of the Finnish Railways. Later the line was extended to the port of Nykarleby and was used for transporting goods. In 1949, the Finnish Railways built a standard-gauge Kovjoki – Nykarleby line along the tracks of the former narrow-gauge railway, but it operated only until 1956 (passenger transport) and 1989 (freight transport). In 1983, the tracks were dismantled.
In the years 1986-1989, enthusiasts established an association that set up a museum of the former narrow-gauge railway and reconstructed part of the line.
Currently, there is a small railway museum in Kovjoki, and on summer weekends, nostalgic trains composed of steam locomotives and vintage carriages run along a two-kilometer section of the former line.
According to the Finnish Railways timetable, no passenger trains stop in Kovjoki.
Nykarleby Jernväg – official website
Narrow-gauge railway in Tankavaara Kultakylä – narrow-gauge railway in a reconstructed gold prospector’s village in Tankavaara, Lapland. The village and the Gold Prospectors’ Museum remind us of the gold rush in the region after deposits were found in 1934. The narrow-gauge railway was opened in 1997. I have no detailed information about the narrow-gauge railway – the route is probably 1 kilometer long.
Outokummun Kaivosrautatie – a short narrow-gauge railway route in a former copper mine. The 1.15 km long line was to be part of the Mining Museum set up in an old mine in Outokumpu. The mine train probably runs on selected Sundays from 12:00 to 16:00.
Narrow-gauge railway in the Puuhamaa Amusement Park – a kilometer-long narrow-gauge railway route in the Puuhamaa Amusement Park in Tervakoski. The amusement park is open seasonally, it is a typical park railway.
Rokan rautatie – a three-kilometer line of the former forest railway, located in the forest, in the town of Rokua. The 3.3 km long line connects the largest fitness club in the region with the Roukanhovi hotel. Rail gauge 900 mm, the line was intended for timber transport was built in 1986. Currently is a tourist attraction. The trains are comprised of of a diesel locomotive and one carriage.
In the village of Eskola, in place of the former forest railway closed in 1960, an educational path was built. A replica of the first locomotive and carriages was placed at the main station of the former railway.
The Peat Museum in Aitoneva preserves a locomotive that formerly operated the peat railway in the area. In the past, in addition to the locomotive, a Russian passenger carriage was exhibited, but it is not visible in the new photos from the museum.
A train-monument is only one reminder of the Riihimäki-Loppi narrow-gauge railway.
There was also a short private narrow-gauge railway in Espoo. A 500-meter long line that ran from 1973 to 1991. Later, trains run upon request. After the owner’s death, the line was dismantled in 2012.
The list of narrow-gauge railways in Finland probably is not complete.
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