{{Short description|Railway line between Helsinki and Oulu, Finland}} {{expand Finnish|date=June 2023|topic=transp}} {{Infobox rail line | box_width = | name = Finnish Main Line | other_name = | native_name = {{langx|fi|Päärata}}; {{langx|sv|Stambanan}} | native_name_lang = | color = | logo = | logo_width = | logo_alt = | image = Päärata, Oulunkylä.JPG | image_width = 200px | image_alt = | caption = The Main Line in Oulunkylä, Helsinki | type = | system = | status = | locale = | start = Helsinki | end = Oulu | stations = | routes = | daily_ridership = | ridership2 = | planopen = <!--{{Start date|YYYY|MM|DD|df=y}}--> | open = {{Start date and age|df=y|1862|03|17}}{{efn|At the time between Helsinki and Hämeenlinna.}} | yearcommenced = <!--{{Start date|YYYY|MM|DD|df=y}}--> | yearcompleted = <!--{{Start date|YYYY|MM|DD|df=y}}--> | close = <!--{{Start date|YYYY|MM|DD|df=y}}--> | event1label = | event1 = | event2label = | event2 = | event3label = | event3 = | owner = Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency | operator = | character = | depot = | stock = | linelength_km = 810 | linelength_mi = | linelength = | tracklength_km = | tracklength_mi = | tracklength = | tracks = {{plainlist| * 4 (Helsinki–Kytömaa, Ainola–Purola) * 2 (Kytömaa–Ainola, Purola–Lielahti, Pohjois-Louko–Lapua, Kokkola–Ylivieska) * 1 (Lielahti–Pohjois-Louko, Lapua–Kokkola) }} | gauge = | old_gauge = | load_gauge = | minradius = | racksystem = | electrification = | speed_km/h = | speed_mph = | speed = | signalling = | elevation_m = | elevation_ft = | elevation = | website = | map = {{Helsinki-Kemijärvi/Kolari line|inline=y}} | map_name = | map_state = collapsed | embedded = }} __NOTOC__ The '''Finnish Main Line''' ({{langx|fi|Päärata}}; {{langx|sv|Stambanan}}) is a {{convert|810|km|adj=on}} long electrified group of railway lines in Finland between the cities of Helsinki and Oulu. The first segment, a {{convert|108|km|adj=on}} line from Helsinki to Hämeenlinna, was opened on March 17, 1862.<ref>Neil Kent: ''Helsinki: A Cultural History'', p. 18. Interlink Books, 2014. {{ISBN|978-1566565448}}.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-5061482|title=Tulihevonen saapui ensi kerran Hämeenlinnaan 150 vuotta sitten|trans-title=The "fire horse" arrived first time in Hämeenlinna 150 years ago|work=Yle Häme|publisher=Yle|date=January 31, 2012|access-date=March 17, 2022|language=fi}}</ref>
The railway serves Helsinki, Riihimäki, Hämeenlinna, Tampere, Parkano, Seinäjoki, Kokkola, Ylivieska and Oulu. The future ''Suomirata'' project aims to improve the current Riihimäki–Tampere section by either building additional tracks alongside the existing main line or an entirely new straight line.<ref name="suomirata">{{cite web|url=https://suomirata.fi/en/what-finland-railway/|title=What is Suomirata?|publisher=Suomirata|access-date=March 17, 2022}}</ref> The goal is to reduce the travel time from Tampere to Helsinki from the current 1 hour 33 minutes to about an hour.<ref name="suomirata"/>
==See also== * Helsinki–Riihimäki railway * Riihimäki–Tampere railway * Rail transport in Finland
==Notes== {{Notelist}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==General references== *{{cite news | title = Ensimmäinen Juna Hämeenlinnaan| publisher = Hämäläinen| date= January 31, 1862 | language = fi }} *{{cite news | last=Lönnblad | first=Reino | title=Suomen ensimmäinen rautatiesilta | date=1992 | publisher=Helsingin Pitäjä | language = fi }} *{{cite news | last=Uimonen | first=Jorma | title=Miksi Tikkurilan asemasta tuli niin komea? Helsingin–Hämeenlinnan radan asemien synty, osa 1. | date=1994 | publisher=Helsingin Pitäjä | language = fi }}
==External links== * [https://paarata.fi Päärata] {{in lang|fi}}
{{Portal|Transport|Trains|Finland}} {{Railway lines in Finland}} Category:Railway lines in Finland Category:Transport in Uusimaa Category:Kanta-Häme Category:Pirkanmaa Category:South Ostrobothnia Category:Central Ostrobothnia Category:North Ostrobothnia Category:1862 establishments in Finland Category:Railway lines opened in 1862