Renovation progress prompts temporary train service changes in Kuopio, Finland

The renovation of Kuopio’s railway yard is progressing, leading to temporary changes in train operations on the Savon railway in August. From August 1 to August 9, rail traffic in the Kuopio area will be suspended, affecting train services between Suonenjoki, Kuopio, and Siilinjärvi. During this period, buses will replace trains for incoming and outgoing services. Detailed information about the replacement bus services and their schedules can be found on VR’s website.

As part of the renovation, the old railway bridge on Maaherrankatu will be dismantled, and a new bridge will be installed. The concrete deck for the new bridge was poured before Midsummer, and construction of the deck took place on scaffolding next to the current bridge. Since April, Maaherrankatu has been closed to vehicular traffic, and in early August, pedestrian traffic will also be rerouted.

Construction of the new bridge will continue with variable lane configurations until September. During the rail service interruption, new safety devices will be tested at Kuopio’s railway yard, and trial runs will take place. Following these tests, the safety technology used on the Kuopio line will be upgraded to modern standards. According to the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency, this new safety device system will significantly enhance safety and the smoothness of train operations, while also providing more efficient maintenance compared to older systems.