Aurora Borealis Express

Aurora Borealis Express
	Aurora Borealis Express in Ylitornio
Overview
Status	Train service still active but the brand name not used by VR anymore
Current operator(s)	VR
Ridership	75 000 per year
Website	https://www.vr.fi/yojunat
Route
Termini	Helsinki; Kolari
Stops	16
Distance travelled	997 km
Average journey time	14 hours
Service frequency	0-2 trains per day
Line(s) used	Helsinki-Riihimäki, Riihimäki-Tampere, Tampere-Seinäjoki, Pohjanmaa railway, Oulu-Tornio, Kolari railway
On-board services
Class(es)	Eco-class,sleeper class.
Seating arrangements	One seating car
Sleeping arrangements	6-10 sleeping cars
Auto-rack arrangements	2-4 car carrier wagons
Catering facilities	Restaurant car
Baggage facilities	Luggage compartment
Other facilities	Servies for disabled people, telephone booths
Technical
Rolling stock	VR blue cars and InterCity cars
Track gauge	1524 mm
Operating speed	100 km per hour
Average length	500 m
Track owner(s)	VR
Timetable number(s)	263-262 & 269-270/272/276

The Aurora Borealis Express is an overnight express train operating between Helsinki and Kolari in Finland. The train travels via many major cities and towns in Finland, and stops at most of them. The total distance is a little under 1000 kilometers, and lasts for 14½ hours to 16 hours depending on direction and season. ^[2] The service is bi-directional, with a corresponding train operating southwards over the same route.^[3]

The train consists of seven to ten sleeping cars, two open seating cars and one restaurant car. The sleeper cars are a mix of old blue cars and new intercity double decker cars. The restaurant car and coach class car are modern intercity cars,with the restaurant being a single decker car and the coach car a double decker one. The service is the last one that uses blue sleeper cars outside of the peak season making the cars quite rare. A few car carrier wagons are added at the end of the train to transport cars.^[4] On the last distance from Oulu to Kolari the electric locomotive is switched out for a diesel locomotive since the railway line to Kolari isn't electrified.

The train travels northbound and southbound on varying days of the week, depending upon the time of year. Passenger demand is variable, and somewhat seasonal.