For Sweden, it is a long-awaited decision.

- This is an important link for both the goods and the citizens, says Helena Ericsson, regional director at the Swedish Transport Administration North.

She believes that train traffic between northern Finland and northern Sweden is an important piece of the puzzle when it comes to labor recruitment and tourism in the two countries.

Profit for the environment and systems

- The main benefit of electrification is for the climate, ie that we can reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

The electrification also makes it possible for much to be automated, which makes the entire system safer, says regional director Helena Ericsson at the Swedish Transport Administration.

The train connection is seen as a regional expansion and important for planned industrial investments in northern Sweden and Finland.

In addition to the major Norrbotten industrial investments, a new large pulp mill is planned in Chemistry in Finland.

That industry will be one of the largest of its kind in the world.

Haparanda becomes an important hub

Municipal councilor Sven Tornberg (C) reminds that the two cities in northern Finland, Rovaniemi and Oulu, have a larger population than the whole of Norrbotten.

There, Haparanda becomes an important junction between northern Sweden and Finland.

- If Oulu were to be located in Sweden, it would be Sweden's fourth largest city, so it is probably important to get proper train connections started, given all the industrial investments of several hundred billion, says Sven Tornberg.