Finland, Sweden and Norway Plan New Sea-Rail Freight Corridor
Finland, Sweden and Norway are planning a new sea-rail freight corridor to strengthen cross-border trade and provide an alternative freight transport route across Scandinavia. The proposed network will combine existing ferry services with electrified railway infrastructure, connecting businesses and maritime transport facilities across the three countries.
The initiative involves Norwegian railway operator OnRail, ferry operator Wasaline, Kvarken Ports Umeå and the Port of Trondheim. The partners aim to establish an intermodal transport connection linking Vaasa in Finland, Umeå in Sweden and Trondheim in Norway, with onward maritime connections from the Norwegian port.
Under the proposed arrangement, freight will travel on Wasaline’s existing ferry service between Vaasa and Umeå before transferring to a planned electric rail freight service between Umeå and Trondheim. The trains are expected to carry containers, semi-trailers and industrial goods using electric locomotives. OnRail has expressed its readiness to establish the service in cooperation with cargo owners, freight forwarders and other industry partners.
A major development supporting the proposed connection is the electrification of Norway’s Meråker Line, which links Trondheim with the Swedish railway network at Storlien. This allows electric freight trains to operate between central Sweden and Trondheim without requiring diesel traction on this section of the route.
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The proposed corridor could offer northern Scandinavian businesses an alternative to traditional north–south freight routes that rely heavily on the Baltic Sea and the Kattegat. It could also shorten transport distances for exports to destinations such as the United Kingdom and Iceland through maritime connections from Trondheim.
The project is also being developed amid growing concerns about supply chain resilience and transport security in the Nordic region. Industries in northern Scandinavia have raised concerns about potential disruptions to Baltic Sea shipping routes during a future crisis or emergency. The railway connection through Meråker and Storlien could provide an additional route for commercial freight movements and has also attracted attention for its potential role in military logistics, including the movement of personnel and equipment towards Sweden and Finland.
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Separately, OnRail is preparing to introduce a freight train service between Trondheim and Oslo on 1 February 2027. The planned connection could provide an additional link between the proposed northern freight corridor and Norway’s capital.
Wasaline already operates a daily ferry service between Vaasa and Umeå, carrying passengers and freight. The route is served by Aurora Botnia, a hybrid vessel powered by batteries and biogas. The ferry connection forms part of the Kvarken Corridor, supported by cooperation between the ports of Vaasa and Umeå.
The proposed Umeå–Trondheim rail service would extend this existing ferry-based transport connection westwards, linking it with Norway’s maritime network. If established, the corridor would create an integrated sea-and-rail freight route across Finland, Sweden and Norway, adding another transport option for regional industries and international cargo movements.
