Passenger trains to link Finland with Sweden after four decades

Getting around Scandinavia is about to become a lot easier with the resumption of cross-border passenger trains between Finland and Sweden after a period of almost four decades. 

The return of regular cross-border rail services will mark a major milestone for regional connectivity across the Nordic region, Arctic Observer reported.

Finnish state railway operator VR has announced that passenger services between Oulu and Haparanda will begin on August 10, marking the first regular passenger rail connection between the two countries since 1988. 

The new route is expected to improve mobility, strengthen economic ties, and provide travellers with a sustainable alternative to air and road transport, local media reported.

The reopening reconnects Finland's railway network with Sweden's, allowing passengers to travel seamlessly from northern Finland into Sweden, with onward connections to Luleå, Boden, Stockholm, and the wider European rail network.

VR says the new cross-border service will operate every day, offering two departures in each direction daily: a total of 28 passenger services per week

VR has not yet announced official ticket prices for the new service.

Official pricing will be published once reservations open.

For Finnish travellers, the restored link also creates a practical all-rail route into Sweden and mainland Europe, reducing reliance on domestic flights for international travel.

Giant armchairs mark the spot

A slightly unusual new attraction has appeared in Sweden.

After analysing 20 years of solar data together with the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute, IKEA has identified the exact spot in Sweden with the highest statistical chance of sunshine.

The location, on the island of Gotland, is now marked by a permanent monument consisting of two granite IKEA armchairs.

The project draws on Sweden’s long-standing fascination with geographical landmarks and places people travel to simply because they are what they are. 

In Sweden, months of winter darkness have made people obsessed with making the most of every ray of sunshine and the new monument serves as a lasting tribute to Swede’s love of sunshine.

The site is intended to become a new tourism destination. 

“As the seasons change, so do the ways we live," says Linda Vikström, communications manager at IKEA Sweden. 

"When the sunlight and warmth return after winter, people across Sweden move outdoors. At IKEA, we want to help as many people as possible make the most of life outside. 

"Identifying and marking Sweden’s sunniest square metre is part of that ambition.” 

Funny folk the Swedes. 

Europe urged to crack down on Russian tourists

Russians are not the most popular tourists. They have a reputation for being loud, smoking, and a reluctance to obey rules. 

 
The European Commission has now signalled plans to tighten Schengen visa rules for Russian nationals following criticism from a group of European countries that say current policies are being applied inconsistently across the bloc, news network Euronews reports.

The proposed measures, which Euronews says are expected to be presented next year, would introduce what Brussels describes as “targeted restrictive visa measures” aimed at addressing security concerns linked to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. 

The move comes after 11 European nations, led by Sweden, called on the Commission to take stronger action and create a more unified approach to handling visa applications from Russian citizens. The group also includes the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland and Sweden.

In a joint letter sent to Brussels, the countries expressed concern over what they described as significant differences in how member states are implementing visa guidelines introduced after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. 

Those measures were designed to reduce non-essential travel from Russia, increase security screening and gradually phase out multi-entry visas in favour of single-entry permits.

The letter says inconsistent implementation has weakened the effectiveness of the policy and sent mixed political messages at a time when Europe is seeking to maintain a united stance against Moscow.

The letter urged the Commission to introduce binding restrictions, improve enforcement of existing guidelines and provide regular updates on visa issuance statistics involving Russian nationals.

France granted the highest number of Schengen visas to Russian nationals in 2025, issuing nearly 180,000 permits, an increase from the previous year. Italy followed with close to 160,000 visas, while Spain issued just under 100,000.

The letter says that it is difficult to justify large numbers of Russian tourists enjoying vacations across Europe while the conflict in Ukraine continues and civilian areas remain under attack.

Image: Gatot Adriansyah, Scop.io

Do you get confused between Sweden and Switzerland?

You would think that only a moron in a hurry would struggle to tell the difference between Switzerland and Sweden.

Other than the fact that both countries are in Europe and have names that begin with the same letter, they are fairly easy to tell apart.

But they are apparently being mixed up all the time, perhaps by the same folks who cannot get their heads around the fact that Australia and Austria are different countries.

Incredibly, about 120,000 people each year Google the question: “Are Sweden and Switzerland the same?”.

Now tourism officials in Sweden want to end the confusion, Travel Mole reports.

The Visit Sweden tourist board wants to make the distinction between the two clear and the first draft of a proposed  agreement between Sweden and Switzerland has been drafted.

Research from Visit Sweden suggests that over two-thirds of British people were unable to locate Sweden on a map. But that is not really a surprise. I suspect many could not find London on a map either.

The survey found 13% of Britons thought Sweden and Switzerland were the same place and that 50% of American respondents confessed to a lack of confidence in distinguishing between Swedish and Swiss cultures.

A number of Brits also wrongly highlighted Ikea (15%) and Abba (13%) as things they loved about Switzerland.

“If people struggle to separate our two countries, we need to help them," said Susanne Andersson, CEO of Visit Sweden.

"We can’t change the names of our nations, but we can become more distinct.

“It’s time to decide who promotes what, and hopefully we can reach an agreement.”

Check out https://visitsweden.com/sweden-not-switzerland/

Image: Stockholm Old Town in Sweden, not Switzerland. Credit: Visit Sweden