Now MTRX is changing its name to VR and the first green VR express train departs from Stockholm Central Station to Gothenburg. The name change comes after Finnish state-owned train operator VR bought MTRX earlier this year. Compared to Sweden, Finns have a more positive view of train travel, according to a survey by the analysis company Nepa. And while Finns want to increase their train travel, the situation is the opposite in Sweden. VR wants to change that.

For passengers, the change means that they should start looking for a green train on the platform. At the same time, a new website for ticket purchases and traffic information has been launched at www.vrresa.se. All trains are expected to have their new green look later this autumn.

– As VR, we will continue to grow on the Stockholm-Gothenburg route, says Filip Thunell, CEO of VR Snabbtåg Sverige. Passengers will recognize everything we are known for, such as our good service and high punctuality. The new thing is that we are called VR, that our trains will be green and that we will use VR's long experience to further develop the experiences for passengers.

As a step in its Nordic expansion, Finnish transport operator VR completed its acquisition of the MTRX high-speed train in May this year. Since then, the transformation work has been ongoing and today MTRX is changing its name to VR.

The first green VR train will make its debut today, departing according to the timetable at 2:13 p.m. from Stockholm Central Station and arriving at Gothenburg Central Station at 5:30 p.m. On the way, the train will make the regular stops in Katrineholm, Skövde, Herrljunga and Alingsås. Traffic will continue to the same extent as before with 126 departures per week, which is just over a third of all fast train departures on the route.

“We are maintaining everything that has made MTRX the favorite of train passengers for eight years in a row thanks to all the committed MTRX employees,” says Elisa Markula, CEO of VR Group. At the same time, we will continue to develop train travel in Sweden. Our surveys show that Swedes have a more negative attitude towards train travel in general than in Finland, and that Swedish passengers' image of train travel is affected by high prices, cancelled trains and delays. We believe that we can improve this negative experience and create a more positive attitude towards trains.

For eight years, MTRX has had the most satisfied train passengers in Sweden, according to the Swedish Quality Index. In this year's survey, MTRX was even the most popular travel company overall.

Like MTRX, VR also has a very good reputation among travelers back home in Finland, according to a survey by the analysis company Nepa. The survey, which was conducted in both Sweden and Finland, also shows that train travel in Sweden is not perceived as positively as in Finland. In Sweden, 61 percent are considering the option of taking the train for longer trips, while the corresponding figure in Finland is 64 percent. In addition, Swedes say that they want to travel by train less in the future. When it comes to domestic long-distance train trips, 12 percent of Swedes plan to travel less by train and only 7 percent want to travel more. The corresponding figures in Finland are that 8 percent want to travel more by train and only 5 percent want to travel less.

– It is with satisfied passengers that we can get more people to choose the train, which is not least important from a sustainability point of view, says Elisa Markula. The experience in Finland and also from MTRX here in Sweden shows that it is absolutely possible to have satisfied train passengers. The fact is that Sweden and Finland are quite similar as train countries, both in terms of weather conditions and infrastructure as well as in travel patterns and punctuality.

MTRX, which will now become VR, has long had better punctuality on the Stockholm-Gothenburg route than other traffic. During the first half of 2024, punctuality was 71 percent, which is 8 percentage points higher than other express trains on the route. This is primarily due to the fact that punctuality has been a high priority in all parts of the company since the start, all the way from traffic planning to train drivers and service attendants. In addition, the trains are modern and well adapted to the Nordic climate.

The market for commercial long-distance train traffic in Sweden is approximately twice as large as in Finland. It is therefore an interesting market for VR. In recent years, VR has changed from being a state-owned train operator with operations only in Finland to a commercial player in the competitive Nordic transport market, where the travel experience is a crucial competitive factor. VR has also established itself in procured public transport in Sweden since 2022. For example, it was recently announced that VR will operate the traffic for Norrtåg AB.

Results and facts about the NEPA survey on train travel in Sweden and Finland:

• Swedes who consider the option of taking the train for domestic leisure trips over 70 kilometers: 61 percent.
• Finns considering the option of taking the train for domestic leisure trips over 70 kilometers: 64 percent.
• 12 percent in Sweden plan to travel less by train on domestic leisure trips over 70 kilometers.
• 7 percent in Sweden plan to travel more by train for domestic leisure trips over 70 kilometers.
• 5 percent in Finland plan to travel less by train for domestic leisure trips over 70 kilometers.
• 8 percent in Finland plan to travel more by train for domestic leisure trips over 70 kilometers.
• VR's NPS value, which measures customer satisfaction, is +20 in Finland, which is higher than most travel companies, both in Sweden and Finland.
• The survey was conducted by the analysis company Nepa in Sweden and Finland during January and February 2024. A total of 1027 people were interviewed in Sweden and 1014 people in Finland.

According to the press release.