Freight transport by rail between Russia and Finland will be shortened by four hours with the introduction this month of the new container train Aurora Borealis, which runs from Finland's Kuovala station to Moscow's main freight yards, reported Itar-Tass news agency.

The Russian Railways Company (RRC) has deployed new technologies for the delivery of containers, making it possible to shorten the duration of the trip, partially by steamlining border procedures.

The joint RCC- Railways of Finland operation is being operated by a ContainerTransScandinavia joint-venture enterprise, established by the TransContainer public joint-stock company, a subsidiary of two parent companies.

The purpose of co-operation is to render comprehensive services in export, import and transit-oriented transport of containers between Russia and Finland and to raise the quality of services for domestic and foreign shippers, the news agency said.