Skip to main content

Finnish border crossing booking service aims to reduce congestion

Part of the Finnish intelligent transportation strategy, a new booking service for Russia-bound traffic at the Vaalimaa border crossing point in Finland aims to evaluate ways of reducing future peak-hour traffic, with the objective of streamlining traffic flow and increasing road safety by smoothing traffic volumes. The service becomes available for freight traffic on 15 December and for passenger traffic on 19 January 2015. The service is free of charge for users and is mandatory for all drivers using t
December 4, 2014 Read time: 2 mins
Part of the Finnish intelligent transportation strategy, a new booking service for Russia-bound traffic at the Vaalimaa border crossing point in Finland aims to evaluate ways of reducing future peak-hour traffic, with the objective of streamlining traffic flow and increasing road safety by smoothing traffic volumes.

The service becomes available for freight traffic on 15 December and for passenger traffic on 19 January 2015. The service is free of charge for users and is mandatory for all drivers using the Vaalimaa border crossing point only and travelling from Finland to Russia.

Drivers can book in advance online, at self-service kiosks or via a 24/7 call centre, or they can join the live queue at the self-service terminal at Vaalimaa. Cameras will identify the licence plate of vehicles booked in advance.

The project was developed by the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY) and the Finnish Transport Agency, and is hosted by GoSwift.  It also involves the Customs, Finnish and Russian Border Guards and the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

According to project manager Jyrki Järvinen of the ELY for south-east Finland, “the electronic booking system is a less expensive way to ease traffic congestion than construction of new roads and lanes.”

Related Content

  • Does enforcement merit a place in the EU's ITS action Plan?
    February 3, 2012
    Colin Wilson, IBI Group, looks at the implications for enforcement of the European Commission's new Action Plan for the Deployment of ITS in Europe
  • What will MaaS look like in 2031?
    October 25, 2021
    The next decade will see the humble trip planning app transformed by machine learning and AI, revolutionising the way we move around and interact with each other, says John Nuutinen of SkedGo
  • US congestion costs continue to rise
    January 25, 2012
    The 2010 Urban Mobility Report, published by the Texas Transportation Institute at Texas A&M University, concludes that after two years of slight declines in overall traffic congestion - attributable to the economic downturn and high fuel prices - leading indicators suggest that as the economy rebounds, traffic problems are doing the same. While 2008 was the best year for commuters in at least a decade, the problem again began to grow in 2009.
  • North Florida signals coordinated approach to congestion management
    October 7, 2013
    David Crawford investigates innovative congestion management in Florida. The largest US city by area is well into the implementation of an ambitious congestion management system (CMS) on the scale of those of higher-profile centres such as Seattle and San Francisco. Regional agency the North Florida Transportation Planning Organisation (NFTPO) aims to ensure that commuters on major highways in Jacksonville can rely on a minimum 72km/h (45mph) driving speed in normal conditions.