Lux Express to resume bus services between Russia, Finland from Dec 13, Ecolines from Dec 14

ST. PETERSBURG. Dec 12 (Interfax) - The Ecolines bus carrier will resume bus trips between Russia and Finland from December 14, Ecolines spokesperson Andrei Volkov told Interfax.

"The company is resuming bus services on the St. Petersburg - Helsinki route from December 14 due to the Finnish authorities' decision to lift restrictions on the operation of the Vaalimaa international road vehicle checkpoint. The first bus from St. Petersburg to Helsinki will depart at 6:45 a.m. on December 14; the first bus from Helsinki to St. Petersburg will depart at 2:30 p.m. on December 14," Volkov said.

At the same time, the bus carrier will perform two daily trips each way from December 15, and it plans to perform three trips each way by December 20.

Meanwhile, another carrier, Lux Express, said it intends to start the gradual resumption of bus trips between Russia and Finland from December 13.

"It is quite difficult to restore the previous logistics in such a short period, so when the Vaalimaa border checkpoint opens, we are planning to gradually resume bus trips depending on our technical capabilities and the demand," the press service for Eurolines, the Russian representative office of Lux Express, told Interfax.

The first bus from Helsinki to St. Petersburg is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. on December 13, and from St. Petersburg to Helsinki for 11:30 p.m. on December 13, the press service said.

Two checkpoints on the border with Russia, Vaalimaa and Niirala, will open on December 14, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said earlier.

Finland closed all eight pedestrian border checkpoints with Russia in November on the grounds of the mass passage of migrants from third countries to the Finnish border, which was allegedly organized by the Russian side.

Ecolines is one of the largest international bus carriers which offers trips to 21 countries and around 200 cities around the world, the company's website said.

Lux Express operates in six countries, where it serves more than 20 routes. In particular, the company provided trips from St. Petersburg to Helsinki, Riga and Tallinn.