Railway undertakings need a licence to operate rail transport as their main business in Finland. The licence ensures that the railway undertaking and its management meet the requirements for good repute, financial fitness and professional competence.
One of the conditions for obtaining a licence is that the railway undertaking has adequate liability insurance cover or some other arrangement to cover its liabilities for damage caused to third parties. The following minimum levels of liability cover apply in Finland:
| Passenger transport | EUR 40,000,000 |
| Freight transport | EUR 25,000,000 |
| Freight transport including transport of dangerous goods | EUR 30,000,000 |
Traficom is the licensing authority in Finland. Railway undertakings established in Finland can apply to Traficom for a licence via Traficom’s service channel My e-Services (External link).
A licence granted to a railway undertaking is valid throughout the EU. More information on licences issued to railway undertakings and on the undertakings’ liability insurances is available in the ERADIS database (External link) maintained by the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA).