On a Tuesday evening, the IC7 Intercity train traveling from Helsinki to Joensuu suffered a breakdown at the Simpele station in South Karelia, leaving 79 passengers delayed. VR's head of communications, Elli Hiironen, reported that the affected passengers were transported to their destination on a subsequent Pendolino train, resulting in just over an hour's delay. In response to the disruption, VR organized for a rescue locomotive to tow the broken train to Joensuu overnight, ensuring that Wednesday's train services could resume normally between Helsinki and Joensuu on the Karelian railway.

Meanwhile, another Intercity train, the IC70, which had departed from Oulu, also encountered issues as its locomotive failed at the Kouvola station. Passengers traveling from Oulu were required to transfer to a train coming from Joensuu, scheduled to depart Kouvola around 9:30 PM. The train service adjustments highlight the operational challenges VR faced on that day, with miscommunication about arrangements leading to further complexities for passengers affected by the delays.

These incidents underline the importance of reliable train services in Finland, where rail travel is a popular mode of transport. VR’s responses to both breakdowns showcase their efforts to mitigate disruptions and maintain passenger satisfaction, but also signal the challenges inherent in managing a national rail service, particularly when unexpected technical failures occur.