The high-speed passenger rail joining St. Petersburg with Helsinki was officially launched on December, 12. Starting from December, 13 the Allegro train will make two trips a day from St. Petersburg (at 6.40 am and 3.25 pm) to Helsinki and from Helsinki (at 10.00 am and 3.00 pm) to St. Petersburg. The Repin and Sibelius trains operating between the two cities have been cancelled now. The Lev Tolstoi passenger line (Moscow – Helsinki) has been retained linking the two capitals.

High-speed rail transport between St. Petersburg and Helsinki does not claim to be a major technical innovation. Railway speeds in other countries are much higher, and Pendolino trains have been servicing many European countries including Finland for quite some time. Certain Pendolino modifications even run 30–50 km/h faster compared to the Allegro maximum speed. It is not the technology that is the key factor of the new St. Petersburg–Helsinki high-speed train link. An important international infrastructure project combines up-to-date technologies with new methods of custom and passport control. Its further integration in the broader transport communications between the two countries, as well as between Russia and other states, will facilitate the visa system and border formalities. Plans are discussed to waive visa requirements for the Allegro passengers with 72-hour travels to Russia, like visa-free access to the country for cruise and ferry passengers in the port of St. Petersburg. In the long run, extensive preferential terms and simplification of visa obtaining might lead to visa-free relations of Russia and the European Union. This is the reason the authorities of both countries paid special attention to the inauguration of the high-speed service. The first Allegro train carried Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Finnish President Tarja Halonen.

The main advantage of the new train is its travel time which is nearly twice as fast. To embrace high-speed train service, Russia and Finland founded Oy Karelian Trains Ltd joint venture, ordered four Pendolino Sm6 train sets from the French Alstom and upgraded St. Petersburg – Buslovskaya and Helsinki – Vainikkala lines. Russia is also transferring freight traffic from St. Petersburg – Vyborg line section to Rutshji–Petäjärvi-Kamennogorsk-Vyborg line (more info on high-speed services linking the two countries in our «Will Europe be closer?» article).

The new train travels between the cities for 2 hours and a half instead of 6 hours and 18 minutes (travel time of the old Repin and Sibelius trains). The journey time is cut due to higher running speeds (up to 200 km/h in Russia and up to 220 km/h in Finland). Border and custom formalities take place en-route adding to time savings.

At present, the traffic flow at the St. Petersburg – Helsinki line is about 400 000 passengers a year. By 2014-2015, Russian and Finnish railway companies envisage to double the figure. By the summer 2011, more Allegro trains are to be added to St. Petersburg – Helsinki communication (with four daily services from each city).

The main challenge for ambitious plans of railway communication development is the ticket price in the Allegro train, which is about 1.5 times higher compared with old train rates. A second class ticket will cost 84 euro (previously about 55 euro). The first class fare will increase to 134 euro (from 90 euro). The fare policy of the new train is now heavily criticised by many experts and journalists. According to many experts, higher rates are incompatible with the plans for double increase of passenger numbers. But is the Allegrо train as expensive as it is claimed to be?

For now, there are plenty of ways to get from St. Petersburg to Helsinki, including surface transport (private cars and buses), railways, sea, and air. At first sight, the railway service seems to be one of the most expensive variants.

It should be noted though that air fares may appear much higher as discounts are proposed only for days that are not always suitable for travels and offers are usually limited in number. The same is true for the ferry. Minimal rates are valid only for unpopular days and for lower deck four-person cabins. At the same time, you can count on a bargain when choosing a bus (a fare of about 30 euro) as the price is given for a scheduled bus crossing the border without queues. Lower rates, however, often mean additional 3–4 hours due to queues at the border.

European railway service is based on a wide-scaled system of combined discounts (depending on date and time of trip, number and age of passengers). Older St. Petersburg – Helsinki trains also provided for certain discounts. Although not so diversified as in Europe, the system was more flexible compared with local trains of the Russian Railways. In case of various bargain offers for the Allegrо train, the fare might appear below the declared level. And the train is undoubtedly the fastest type of transport (when taking into consideration the necessity to arrive at the airport in advance and to follow certain procedures when entering and leaving). So, in spite of the fare, which sometimes seems rather high, other advantages of the Allegro train can tip the scale in its favour.

There are four basic reasons for citizens of Russia to visit Finland:
- recreation,
- shopping,
- business trips,
- using the transport infrastructure of Finland for cheaper and more convenient trips to other countries.

Often, trips are multipurpose, so it is difficult to single out a definite aim.

Businessmen are probably the most promising target group for the Allegro train with its minimal travel time and comfort at a reasonable price.

It will be rather a convenient variant for shopping, too. We should not forget that apart from Helsinki there are several station stops in towns and cities in the South of Finland including large Lahti and Kouvola, which suit for shopping nicely. The trip to these cities is somewhat cheaper: 54.4 euro for a 2nd class to Kouvola, 63.3 euro to Lahti. First class tickets cost 92 and 104.5 euro.

Cottage vacancies and trips to ski resorts might appear more comfortable if you take your own car and not the Allegro train. But there are skiing tracks both in Lahti and Kouvola. Moreover, Finland plans to attract more Russian tourists to these cities. Good connections between trains and buses to the central and northern regions of Finland backed by some advertising could make the Allegro train a viable alternative for visiting other parts of the country, too.

As for using Finland for transiting to other states, the Allegro is unlikely to attract fans of extremely cheap flights from the country. At the same time, prices for Pulkovo flights and their variety still leave much to be desired (with foreign partners trying to transform Pulkovo into an international air hub the situation may change, though). So, taking a train to Finland with further journeys to other countries will be an interesting variant for many travelers.

The train will surely attract Finns and passengers from other countries traveling via Finland and to Finland. Still, the timetable does not allow for daily return services from Finland to Russia (to leave in the morning with coming back in the evening), while Russian businessmen can schedule a one-day visit. Additional trains will make the communication more comfortable leaving early in the morning and coming back to Finland late in the evening. Most probably, the train will attract foreign tourists, too. When in Finland, they can take a several day trip to St. Petersburg, especially with 72 hour visa-free stays. The high-speed railway is handy for visiting interesting events (cultural, professional, sporting). The train linking St. Petersburg with Helsinki will be popular with numerous foreign tourists coming to the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted in Russia.

After all, those displeased with travel rates should recollect the travel time cut. Three and a half hours including border crossing is really very fast. For many residents of St. Petersburg, it takes the same time to get to their summer cottages by an electric train. In rush hours, the road to the countryside will take the same time even by car. And let us not forget traffic jams at checkpoints of Russian–Finnish border. Taking into consideration the above mentioned factors, tickets are expensive but worth the service. In fact, the website of the Russian Railways says the current rates are valid till March 21, 2011. It is not clear yet what to expect from fares next. The decision may depend on the results of the first months after the launch but it is hard to believe that the rate will be cut.

Certain negative moments associated with the Sapsan train service made the media assume the possibility of the same problems with high-speed St. Petersburg – Helsinki communication. First and foremost, it means the safety of population in nearby areas. In spite of safety measures undertaken by the Russian Railways, running-down accidents are regular with the Sapsan. In December 2010, two fatal accidents with the Sapsan took place in Leningrad region. It would be great to be mistaken, but St. Petersburg – Buslovskaya line is subject to such accidents, too. The railway runs along highly populated areas of St. Petersburg and Leningrad region, with their cottage population adding greatly during the summer season. Managers of the Russian Railways claimed to have removed high-speed railway crossings but proofless statements did not get people any closer to safety. Underground and overhead passages were ignored successfully confining to guard rails in the middle of passenger platforms. Fences along the railway, which are to secure both people and animals, are still under construction. Uncompleted fencing resulted in an accident, when the second (!) Allegro train ran down an elk the same day Buslovo – Luzhaika high-speed span was launched.

Changes in the timetable of electric trains due to the new high-speed service added to unpleasant surprises for people living near the St. Petersburg – Moscow railway. Absence of suburban trains was so pressing that the Governor of Tver region had to address the Ministry of Transport to settle the situation. According to top-managers of the Russian Railways, the high-speed connection between St. Petersburg and Helsinki will not reduce the number of electric trains. For now, it is somewhat obvious as new trains came to change the old ones. But with more Allegro trains added, further situation is still obscure.

Nevertheless, the high-speed St. Petersburg – Helsinki service has been launched. We have every reason to believe that the Allegro train will encourage further strengthening of good neighbourly relations of Russia and Finland. And for Russia, the project will become another step to developing a network of speed and high-speed railway connections across the country.

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