The sometimes-extensive delays on trains over the Midsummer holiday will cost state railway firm VR around 200,000 euros in passenger compensation, according to the company.

A delay in track construction in the municipality of Lempäälä caused significant delays as people made return journeys following the Midsummer weekend. At worst, some passengers on overnight trains faced delays of up to 24 hours.

VR said on Monday that around 200,000 euros would be paid out in compensation to customers. It noted that it has received thousands of customer compensation requests and was still processing them.

Around 4,000 passengers were affected by the delays, the firm said.

"We have also received various compensation requests for costs caused by the delays and they are processed individually," the company's communications expert, Julia Stolp, said.

"We understand that some customers were forced to make their own decisions, for example, taking taxis to the airport on their own, and then seek compensation from us." she said.

The delays also prompted other extra costs for VR, including replacing stalled train lines with coaches. Overall, the disruption will cost the company several hundred thousand euros.

The problems were caused by delayed work on tracks over a bridge between Tampere and Toijala. The work was supposed to be completed by Sunday at 3pm but was not finished until noon the next day.