Arctic Railway

The Arctic Railway (also Arctic Ocean Railway)[1] is a planned railway line linking the Norwegian Arctic port of Kirkenes with the Finnish railway network.

Arctic Railway
Proposed rail routes into Lapland
Overview
LocaleLapland, Finland
Finnmark, Norway
TerminiRovaniemi
Kirkenes
ServicesRovaniemi - Vuojärvi - Sodankylä -
Petkula - Vuotso - Saariselkä -
Nellim - Rayakoski - Nikel - Kirkenes
Technical
Line length526 km (327 mi)
Number of tracksDouble track
Track gauge1,524 mm (5 ft)
Electrification25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead lines
Arctic Railway
to Oulu
Rovaniemi
to Kandalaksha via Kemijärvi
Vuojärvi
to Kemijärvi
Sodankylä
to Kolari
Petkula
Vuotso
Saariselkä
to Lakselv via Inari and Utsjoki
Nellim
Rayakoski
Nikel
Murmansk-Nikel Railway
to Murmansk
Russia
Norway
border
to Murmansk via Pechenga
Kirkenes
to Skibotn via Lakselv

Background

Proposals for a rail link between Lapland and northern Norway began serious consideration in 2017,[2] with the aim of linking the Finnish railway network to Arctic shipping routes.[3]

Route

Route options under consideration included starting at Rovaniemi or Kemijärvi to either Kirkenes or Murmansk in Russia; Kolari or Tornio to Narvik (via Sweden) or Tromsø.[4] The Rovaniemi to Kirkenes route has been determined the most feasible,[5] with an estimated cost of €2.9 billion.[6] €2 billion would be covered by the Finnish government, with the remaining €900 million covered by the Norwegian government.

Controversies

Environmental and cultural sensitivities exist which affect these plans, with concerns from the indigenous Sámi people that the proposed line would pass through reindeer grazing lands.[7]

gollark: https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/348702212110680064/930582599406084126/ethical-dilemmas.jpg
gollark: Which totally kills it.
gollark: It might just get cooked higher up, for example.
gollark: Ah, but it won't necessarily slow down to its terminal velocity if it enters the atmosphere fast enough.
gollark: I mean that the squirrel can probably be dropped from a lower height and die.

See also

References


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