The first Allegro train to Helsinki in more than a year and a half departed St. Petersburg's Finland Station on Sunday morning, accompanied by a Russian railway brass band. Despite the festive atmosphere, only a few dozen passengers boarded.

Train traffic between Finland and Russia was suspended at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020. Traffic has still not returned to normal.

The Allegro now has two departures daily in each direction, down from four before the pandemic.

Passenger numbers are still limited by Covid travel restrictions. Finnish rail operator VR said it expects the train to mostly carry business travellers in the near future.

Few Russians have EU or WHO-approved vaccinations

Currently, only Finnish and Russian citizens are allowed to travel on the train. Most Russians are only allowed to enter Finland for essential reasons, including family visits.

There are exceptions for Russians who have received either an EU or WHO-approved Covid vaccine, but there are very few such individuals. Neither organisation has yet approved Sputnik or other vaccines administered in Russia.

Tourism is also restricted by the use of Covid passports, which are widely used in both countries. The EU and Russia have not recognised each other's Covid passes.

Finns are allowed to travel freely to Russia on the Allegro if they have a visa and a negative Covid test result from within the previous two days.

Passengers must wear masks during the three-and-a-half-hour journey.