The first VR branded train runs today from Stockholm to Gothenburg

The acquisition of MTRX, a Swedish subsidiary of MTR Nordic, was finalized at the end of May, and MTRX has been integrated into VR's long-distance operations over the summer. On August 26, the first VR green train will run between Stockholm and Gothenburg. Customer service and ticket sales are now available at www.vrresa.se.

Through this acquisition, VR aims for profitable growth and gaining experience in a competed market where the travel experience is a crucial competitive factor.

"With excellent travel experience and high punctuality, we can attract more people to choose train travel. Sweden and Finland are quite similar as train countries in terms of weather conditions, infrastructure, and travel habits," says VR's CEO Elisa Markula.

MTRX, now VR, has been a challenger on the Stockholm–Gothenburg route since 2015. High-level customer service is a core value for MTRX staff, leading to excellent results: MTRX has had the most satisfied train passengers in Sweden for eight consecutive years according to the Swedish quality index. In this year's survey, MTRX was the most popular travel company in Sweden.

MTRX has also been more punctual than other train services on the Stockholm–Gothenburg route. In the first half of 2024, the punctuality rate was 71%, which is 8 percentage points higher than other express trains have on the same route. Punctuality is a key objective for all company operations, from traffic planning to drivers and train staff.

Sweden is an interesting growth area for VR, as the market for commercial long-distance traffic is about twice the size compared to Finland. Since 2022, VR has established its position in Swedish purchased traffic market, with the latest achievement being the Norrtåg operating agreement in Sweden's northernmost counties, where operations will commence in December 2025.