The Karelian Railway is a part of the Finnish rail network from Kouvola (Kymenlaakso) through Lappeenranta and Parikkala ( South Karelia ) to Joensuu , the capital of the North Karelia region. The length of the route from Kouvola to Luumäki is also part of the Riihimäki-St. Petersburg road. The 325.8 km long railway is fully electrified, on the Kouvola — Luumaki section, the double track is, further to Joensuu, the single track. The Pendolino and Intercity trains run by rail.
| Karelian Railway (Kouvola - Joensuu) fin. Karjalan rata | |
|---|---|
 Karelian railway in the area of Parikkala | |
| general information | |
| A country | Finland |
| Location | Kymenlaakso , South Karelia , North Karelia |
| Type of | high speed |
| condition | acting |
| End stations | Kouvola , Joensuu |
| Number of stations | Lappeenranta , Imatra , Parikkala , Kitee |
| Subordination | VR Group |
| Technical details | |
| Length | 325.8 km |
| Track width | 1524 mm |
| Electrification type | 25 kV / 50 Hz |
| Speed Limit | freight trains: 120km / h passenger trains: 140-200 km / h |
History
The construction of the Old Karelian railway from Vyborg to Joensuu through Sortavala began in 1890, the road successfully operated for several decades, but as a result of the Winter War, a significant part of the route was transferred by the USSR Finland. For Finland, there was only a segment from the station Niirela to Joensuu. The Finnish rail network, however, included part of the Riihimäki-St Petersburg railway built in the 19th century, from which in 1880s a branch was extended to Lappeenranta. This branch was extended to Imatra (1934) and through Simpele to Elisenvaara (1937). Following the 1940 peace treaty, Elisenvaara was withdrawn by the USSR, and therefore a new branch was stretched from Simpele in 1947 to Parikkala .