VR FleetCare Secures Contract To Modernize 27 SJ X40 Units

A modernization contract between VR FleetCare and Sweden’s SJ covers a fleet of 27 X40 double-decker electric multiple units. The project requires the transfer of rolling stock from Sweden’s 1,435 mm standard-gauge network to Finland’s 1,524 mm broad-gauge system. The first train unit was moved to the maintenance facility in Oulu, Finland, on January 9, 2026.

To facilitate the cross-border movement, VR FleetCare developed a specialized transfer bogie system. The trainsets are fitted with these broad-gauge bogies at the Haaparanta–Tornio border crossing, enabling direct rail transport to the Oulu depot. This procedure replaces previous logistics methods that relied on oversized road transport for such transfers.

The modernization work is being conducted at VR FleetCare’s Oulu project center, a facility that received an investment of approximately €10 million to support the contract. The full fleet modernization program is scheduled for completion by early 2028, with the work intended to extend the operational life of the SJ X40 units.