First-Class Journey to Lapland: VR InterCity Ekstra Class Review

[@dv42]

Can confirm, the small elevators are for snack trolleys which are used on services without dining cars

[@samtrak1204]

I love the scenes of the cozy warm amooth riding train dashing through the snow and kicking up snow powder.

[@Nanonic001]

These trains definitely pass the Geoff Marshall elbow test

[@AnnabelSmyth]

I'm glad I wasn't the only one to notice and think that! Wouldn't he love them!

[@lesliewentworth9678]

Oh to have a train in Australia like that!!! Clean, well maintained, self serve coffee available, no graffiti on the train or stations. Hot and cold food. Comfortable seating. A well planned train system. The patrons using it respect what they have.

[@lalakerspro]

Even in the US no one grafittis passenger trains, is that a problem in australia?

[@KatA-p7v]

What an amazing train! So many different configurations, plenty of play space for children, really brilliant. Something for the bucket list! Thank you 🙂

[@TheWarrior1256]

What a great train!

[@joeterra.t]

I like that isolated phone area as well! Other trains, especially commuter trains, should have these but I just know it's a matter of time before people start using it to smoke or do other trashy things in it.

[@petrsovicka]

What a trip! Finland looks like France and Russia combined. Anyway, this train looks a way too much comfortable. I wonder whether they're gonna introduce some low cost let's say Super Eko class with 2+3 layout and no fancy stuff like phone boots or dressing rooms.

[@conceyullena]

Beatiuful video ,greetings from Asturias 👍🙋‍♂️👋

[@mikkovaltonen3564]

People here in Finland often joke about VR being always late, but in reality an hour delay is quite rare. These jokes usually involve the Pendolino trains that they used to have lots of issues with when they were new and adjusting them to the winter conditions didn't go very smoothly. But they got their shit together before long. Commuter trains run like clockwork 99% of the time. I have never missed work due to the train being late.

[@rezaalan3991]

Great trip. Their day train also great. I think the perfect time to visit Finland is in winter.

[@scottyerkes1867]

A fine video. First class! Nice seats. Good food. Beautiful scenery. I would enjoy a train journey in Finland's cold, snowy weather. Thanks Thibault 👌😀👍🚊❄️

[@michaelhall8586]

Helsinki must have one of the most epic train stations in the world

[@AngusMontrose]

Romanian gypsies begging at Helsinki railway station. Mafia scam. And rude Finns always slam the doors in the face of the person behind, they never look or care. The trains are also cleaned poorly by cheap labour immigrants - VR has got rid of their Finnish cleaners in the usual effort to increase profits. Also VR has raised the prices of their tickets to astronomical levels recently.

[@jameslittle4414]

I enjoyed this video and the winter weather; I too enjoy the cold and snow...not all the time, but certainly mid-November through early March. Keep up the awesome videos!

[@analama3077]

Glad to see that you had meatballs. It's the traditional fare in Finland when travelling by train. :)

[@AlexanderSkinnerVids]

I’m a simple man: I see a lookalike to the Re 460, I click

[@SweedyMick]

I love the hot drink area, makes it so cosy and it's the perfect way to stretch your leg! And I love these train trips in the midst of winter on Nordic trains, when you see some kind snow smoke surrounding the strain, and with a beautiful sky in the background. Playing areas, small private booths, everything is well designed, however it looks like the design is a bit too functional. I wish the material used in the train could make it a bit cosier!

[@turpasauna]

You are very correct. Finns are practical people, even to the point where it's no longer necessary. Engineers at heart, you will find no pillow on your seat when flying on long hauls in Finnair, but you will be able to watch the plane (+flight) from like four different cameras through your screen. 😅

[@theobrattinga500]

Great video !!

[@pasikallinen]

The bike storage in IC trains is not free; you need to add a bicycle (about 5€ per bike) to your ticket when buying it, or you won't be able to bring the bike on board.

[@turpasauna]

Tip from a local: while the Ekstra class is nice for longer drives, Eko isn't really missing out on anything special (mainly the free coffee and lesser crowd). So if the Ekstra seems like a splurge, you'll do fine without it.

[@NormanAllen-ps9ju]

A very fine video Monsieur Thybault !

[@Comrade_Dyatolov]

Awesome video

[@michaelbruchas6663]

Thanks!

[@Backwardlooking]

Never mind the seat pitch, the price is incredibly cheap compared to rip-off Britain.

[@Shuttletrain]

For profit companies.

[@KOLEJ22DrogaPrzygody]

Hello good video , my friend

[@lalakerspro]

Finland should go standard gauge to connect with most of europe

[@Eliaskinnunen1]

The sr3 locomotives arent actually the most modern engines in the vr fleet anymore. the dr19 locomotive took the spot after the first one of them arrived for testing in 2022.

[@pale80]

Correction. From Tampere to Kokkola it is single track and again from Ylivieska to Kemijärvi or to Kolari it is single track. Only between Helsinki - Tampere and between Kokkola - Ylivieska is double track.

[@Itapirkanmaa2]

There are 2-track sections north and south of Seinäjoki from Etelä-Seinäjoki to Lapua.

[@JO-nh6mo]

And is there a working train connection to Sweden if one wants to continue there? Or is it all bus between Kemi and Haparanda/Tornio ?

[@Itapirkanmaa2]

@@JO-nh6mo The night trains to Kolari stop in Tornio, the stop is called Tornio-Itäinen (Tornio-East). It's 2 km from the old Tornio railway station which is right on the border river and not far from the bridges across the river Tornio. There are no trains between Tornio and Haparanda, although trains from either can in principle run directly to the other side, the bridge part is dual-gauge. You can walk over on either one of the 2 bridges, the Swedish trains leave for the south at the Haparanda station on the other side.

[@csa278]

@@JO-nh6mo There is currently no passenger rail connection between Finland and Sweden. The railway line between Kemi and Haparanda is undergoing electrification works though and the project should be completed by the end of 2024. We could actually see passenger trains running between Finland and Sweden as early as next year, although it has not been confirmed yet.

[@JO-nh6mo]

@@csa278 Thank you , that's valuable information!! Stockholm - Helsinki by train sounds great!

[@amtrakharry]

Excellentvideo !!! The Finns do have it right !!! Maybe "VIA RAIL" should have a look into these trains??? I know the track gauge is bigger but still what a beautiful train...:):):) What do you think Mr. Simply???

[@Abnerbandanovotempoinscrito1mi]

Boa tarde simplys Boa viagem de trem ekstra ótimo sexta feira

[@patrickgomes2213]

It is both heartwarming and sad to see the Ukrainian flag over the Helsinki train station. Heartwarming that the Finns are showing their support, sad that it's been this long with no resolution. Sigh…

[@Lattahattu]

I love kemi!

[@AngusMontrose]

Badenoch?

[@danielconrad399]

Thank you Thibault, another good video. Good also about not speaking, so it feels on your channel like you are showing us the trip, not telling us. I think you have hired an American to write your closed captions in English. Or maybe it is an 'AI' writer. The text no longer reads like your 'voice'. Your authenticity with a little French accent (yes, even in your writing) is a good thing.

[@SimplyRailway]

I'm still the one behind the captions and have always been

[@danielconrad399]

@@SimplyRailway Merci.

[@rbtjan]

Finnish train are huuuge

[@turpasauna]

Yes, they are a bit wider due to difference in gauges! And these overnight trains are always loooooong. 😅

[@cestmoi1262]

This reminded me of watching a silent movie from early last century. Just instead of piano playing we had some train noises, no other coomments.

[@AnnabelSmyth]

You need to turn on the subtitles, which is where he keeps his commentary nowadays.

[@cestmoi1262]

@@AnnabelSmyth You just taught an old man a new trick. Thank you very much, that will make the video more enjoyable.

[@Keinapappa]

So you apparently walked from Helsinki to Kemi. 😁

[@РоманНагиев-у3в]

👍🏻

[@Murray_SPb]

You should make a trip - ride inside Finland on the former Allegro train (former route St. Petersburg - Helsinki). This will immediately be a top video, with 1 million views and comments from people from Russia! My advice to you: try to do it!

[@AngusMontrose]

The Allegro trains have all been stored/sold off, so not sure how one is supposed to ride on one within Finland?

[@samtrak1204]

Interesting configuration in dining car but the meal looks delicious. What was it? People with backs to the windows can forget about dining with an everchanging view but you didn't enjoy cookie with a Coca Cola?

[@turpasauna]

Finnish meatballs, mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam. 😋

[@SebastianD334]

These trains seem really good, though second class looks dated, not just the seats, but the lighting, floor, and doors too. Seems like the seat pitch in first class is identical to second class, there seem to be precisely 2 seats per window.

[@joeterra.t]

Train looks clean but too bad it was so heavily delayed. 😢 I hope they don't make that a habit...

[@sjokomelk]

I am guessing that the little phone area used to be a phone booth with a pay phone back in the day.

[@redneck96100]

They have always been for using your own mobile phone, since the mobile phone market was booming when these train cars were first introduced.

[@samtrak1204]

You reading the Great Gatsby?

[@SimplyRailway]

I was ;)

[@samtrak1204]

Wasn't there a Burger King in the space that has been blocked off? A deli cious buffet restaurant occupied that huge spacd when I hung out at Helsinki station in 2012.

[@joeterra.t]

Might be interesting to add the price of a ticket without the interrail pass, as not everyone has one.

[@jameslovestokyo]

VR use demand-responsive pricing for their trains, so it depends on the time, day and number of bookings. But as a guide, Helsinki - Kemi starts at around €21 one way when booked in advance. The Friday before Christmas (perhaps the busiest travel day of the year) it costs about €80. The upgrade to Ekstra class starts at about €20.

[@joeterra.t]

@jameslovestokyo Thank you but he could still have done what you did with a time-stamp.

[@sajalomo]

Hola.. me agradan tus videos. ¿Puedes agregar información acerca de accesibilidad para silla de ruedas? ¿Si los diferentes servicios ofrecen Pet friendly? Gracias y saludos

[@thejourneyplanner9037]

I took this trip in August from Rovanieni to Helsinki, the train was great, but the scenery was not as impressive as I expected. It was flat for the most part.

[@blarfroer8066]

This really looks like a winter journey to me.

[@Itapirkanmaa2]

You can use Finland as a teaser for a real Siberian railway trip. Between Orivesi-Jyväskylä there's a section with many long tunnels, the terrain is exceptional for Finland there.

[@cliffwoodbury5319]

12:00 - what is that thing - with 3 buttons like it was going to give elevator access

[@RVail623]

Any chance of getting such a large train car running on Amtrak? Other than the switch from extra-wide Finnish/Russian track gauge to standard gauge used in the U.S.. Amtrak should at least consider re-engineering their entire country-wide route network to allow for such double-decker train cars to run coast to coast, (including Auto Train cars) on the NE Corridor, from Maine to Boston to NYC to Florida.

[@jameslovestokyo]

There are too many tunnels and low bridges in the NE Corridor (mainly in and out of Manhattan) for double decker trains. That's why the Superliners are never used north of Washington DC.

[@RVail623]

@@jameslovestokyo Expensive? Yes, but not impossible. Maybe not immediately, with "Amtrak Joe" leaving office. But eventually?: needs to happen. Hopefully, the new Hudson River Tunnels are being designed with double-decker train car compatibility in mind. Even if they won't be handling such train cars for another 20 years or more.

[@Flying_Skier]

In addition to the height restrictions, superliners are also a foot narrower than the finnish loading gauge allows, which means that they would have to re-build basically every single mile of track (as well as stations, signals, bridges, and other infrastructure) these would run on to allow for them to pass other trains and just generally fit. Basically, they have more important stuff to worry about than rebuilding 20,000+ miles of track, most of which they don't own.

[@RVail623]

@@Flying_Skier Super Liner sized cars in outside dimensions, but interiors similar to the Finnish, and made in the U.S.. Tunnel & underpasses would be their own separate issue for the U.S. Congress to contend with.

[@cestmoi1262]

@RVail623 Money is no object. Just ask the Dems and you will remember that everytime you go to buy your groceries.

[@aleksandarbrzic8351]

It really does look a bit claustrophobic for a first class product! The food does indeed look great though...

[@mikrokupu]

It's not marketed as First Class but "Ekstra", meaning something like Economy Plus.

[@Shuttletrain]

How warm was the consist? Did you wear a coat to bed?

[@turpasauna]

All Finnish trains have heating. 😊

[@abdulsattar45463]

❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@RoniRosenthal1306]

It seems that you do watch world's most scenic railway journeys, don't you?

[@Nanonic001]

It's all RailCowGirl's fault

[@swisspeach67]

I think she drives in Norway, not in Finland

[@Nanonic001]

@@swisspeach67 and that's exactly why it's all her fault

[@wow708]

Soon there gona been no food and drink shops

[@philippenaluna2312]

I'm slightly puzzled that you had to pay €24± on top of your InterRail ticket. Any idea why that was? Otherwise and interesting trip. Merci beaucoup, Thibault.

[@jameslovestokyo]

Ekstra class commands a surcharge on top of any ticket, including Interrail.

[@philippenaluna2312]

@@jameslovestokyo Thanks for that info. I did wonder what the reason was.

[@tranmere292]

Such huge trains. I presume that is the Russian legacy. At least they did some good things!

[@Tunnel_Rat_Nakki]

Finnish gauge is 1524mm while russian is 1520mm but they are pretty much the same becouse we were part of russia when the railways were built here in finland in 1860's... wished we used the 1435mm nowadays, it would be lot more usefull

[@tranmere292]

@@Tunnel_Rat_Nakki Thanks. That 4mm difference is fascinating.

[@daffi4139]

@@Tunnel_Rat_Nakki I would say rather under rule rather than part of. The railways were built in Grand Duchy, an autonomic state separate from Russia after all.

[@Tunnel_Rat_Nakki]

@@daffi4139 yeah

[@jattikuukunen]

​@@tranmere292the 4 mm difference exists because the Soviet Union redefined the gauge from 1524 mm (5 ft) to 1540 mm in 1970, and we weren't part of that.

[@TuomasLeone]

I'd be wary of taking the window facing dining seats if you're on a long haul trip. I found it to be quite uncomfortable with almost no leg room when facing the window. I'd rather a regular seat than this.

[@teme82]

To be far the seat rotates 360 degrees with 45 degrees locking positions so there is a way to get more legroom. Hence they are my go-to seat if the train is IC

[@TuomasLeone]

@@teme82 Yea, but I found that awkward. Glad there are choices though! That seat just isn't for me.

[@teme82]

@ yeah I know it’s not everyone’s liking for me and my travels it works. Plus the good side that you can get nice pint of beer while watching the world go by

[@samtrak1204]

The seats look hard and stiff as a board.

[@markkublomgren5934]

Nice to see SR to check our regular InterCity product. Few pointers though: Should probably check EKO class toilet as well, chances of not-as-clean toilet increases a LOT, even more for late night train (speaking from experience). EKO seats are horrible, but then, i am heavy weight person...but then, nothing beats good old 'steel coaches' like we call them, or 'Plootu', the old Finnish passenger cars that are more or less recycled by now. I would not call our dining cars as DINING cars, they are just big cafe's on rails, also, the upper deck seats doesn't recline, something to do with law... And in the end, they are not that cheap, until one reserves the trip months in advance. Regular price would been closer to 100 euro. (EDIT: fast reservevation took the price very close to 100 euro, two weeks advance it was 80 euro)

[@vince2mtp874]

Je conduis des trains chaque jour mais cette chaîne est à la seule à me donner envie de passer du temps dans des trains et voyager encore et toujours 😂 Super vidéo encore une fois et je le répète mais la mise en place des sous titres est un vrai plus pour les gens comme moi qui baragouinent tant bien que mal la langue de tonton Shakespeare😂

[@My_viev]

Pls speak in English. The CC covers half of the video. Very irritating to watch with CC.

[@jattikuukunen]

I'm pretty sure you can adjust the font size

[@hyperthreader]

Nearly all of his videos have been captioned for years. I'm an American and his English is very difficult to understand with his thick French accent.

[@Murray_SPb]

Thanks for the video! We once traveled on the Allegro high-speed train from St. Petersburg to Helsinki. It was very convenient! But then the kind Finns stole this train from the passengers. It was a joint business of Russian Railways and Finnish VR

[@laju]

The company that owns/owned Allegro rolling stock (Karelian Trains) is registered in Finland and was owned half-half by VR and RŽD. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the border closing for passengers, RŽD stopped paying for the upkeep of the trains, thus breaking the contract signed by them. As per the conditions of the contract, VR legally acquired the trains fully to themselves. You can't "steal" anything if the other partner stops fulfilling the obligations stated in the contract between the partners.

[@Murray_SPb]

@laju We have different information. VR unilaterally stopped transportation under the pretext that Putin started a war with Ukraine. As for closing the borders, this is also Finland's initiative. The Finns have deceived Russians twice by selling them visas. The first time was with Covid. The second time was when Putin started the war in Ukraine. In general, it is dangerous for the Finns to follow the Ukrainian scenario. The United States also promised them a lot across the ocean. We see the result. And huge Russia with an extremely dangerous dictator is right next door. A smart politician will wait out Putin's time. And a stupid politician will anger the bear and poke him with a stick. It's a pity that the Finns have forgotten their wise president Kekkonen

[@blarfroer8066]

Ah yes, another Russian playing the victim card. Did you forget that this was all caused by a "kind" rich guy in Moscow?

[@Murray_SPb]

I will tell you that interstate transport communications in Russia were given exceptional priority. For example, for the Allegro project, Russian Railways completely reconstructed the Russian part of the railway tracks and infrastructure. These are 2 pairs of railway tracks from St. Petersburg to the border. New bridges were built for the project. Russian Railways is part of the empire of Putin's friends and it is funny to say that they did not have the money or desire. Trains were running fully loaded with tourists! The Finnish side unilaterally stopped the joint business. Russian Railways received nothing from its Finnish partner. The Allegro trains were written off by the Finns and sold. Such is the history of the joint business. Politics​@@laju

[@redneck96100]

@@Murray_SPb Allegro trains were not sold.

[@kiitokurre]

Thank god we have busses in Finland, rails are totalu bull shitt in Finland