Finland, Sweden, and Norway Plan 'NATO Railway' to Counter Russia

Finland, Sweden, and Norway are planning to construct a railway from Finland through Sweden to the ice-free Norwegian port of Narvik. This project aims to facilitate the rapid transport of NATO troops to the Scandinavian border with Russia, according to defense specialist John Daly of the American think tank The Jamestown Foundation. 'Finland's current military supply routes are vulnerable, highlighting the importance of this railway for NATO,' Daly noted.

The construction is expected to extend well into 2030, with the European Union funding up to 50% of the planning and about 30% of the construction. The total cost is estimated to be several billion euros. Finnish military leadership acknowledges the vulnerability of supply routes, with 90% of defense materials currently arriving via the Baltic Sea. 'If this sea area is blocked—a scenario the armed forces must consider—five million Finnish citizens would depend on transport through Norway and Sweden,' a Norwegian general stated.

A significant challenge is the differing rail gauges. Most EU countries use a standardized gauge of 1,435 mm, while Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Ukraine use a 1,524 mm gauge, a standard from the 19th-century Russian Empire. Switching to the European gauge would cost Finland between €14 and €18.5 billion and take two to four years, depending on funding and technical solutions.

Meanwhile, Russia is intensifying military activities along the Finnish border, particularly in the Karelian Isthmus, and constructing new rail lines near the borders with Finland and Norway, as well as south of St. Petersburg near Estonia.