What it's like riding across Finland on a state-owned train that was comfy, cosy, and cost $60 for a three-hour trip

My ride was from Pori to the capital Helsinki, with a change in Tampere.

I got tickets online. It was about $60 to book at short notice.

The train was a double-decker. Like every passenger train in Finland, it is run by the state.

On my way!

The upper section was up a little stairway.

This is what the cabin looked like.

Between the main carriages, you could book little private booths.

Finns like quiet — at the end of the carriage there was a special booth for taking phone calls without disturbing people.

This is what the phone booth looked like on the inside.

There were little onboard locker for valuables.

The seats were functional and comfortable, with adjustable headrests.

I'm pretty tall and even I could fit well in the seats, with decent leg space.

The train was lovely and quiet. Though it was quite busy, people kept noise to a minimum.

From here I could enjoy the Finnish countryside passing by.

Finland is full of lakes, like this one we passed.

These huts by the tracks are in a classic Nordic style.

And we went by a river near some woods.

The trains made several stops between Pori and Tampere. Here was one.

And I had time to chat with a Finn!

A friendly Finn sat down next to me halfway to Tampere.

I had read that it could be construed as impolite to start a conversation, but he initiated the chat, so I went along with it. We talked about Finland, Tampere, traffic laws, differences between French, British, and Finnish cultures, and other things for about 20 minutes.

I learned that just because a Finn hasn't spoken for a few minutes it doesn't mean the conversation is over.

Finns seem to be much more accustomed to taking a moment to reflect on their thoughts before carrying on. 

I made a change in Tampere and waited 24 minutes for the new train.

Onto the next train.

On the train from Tampere to Helsinki, I booked a ticket for the restaurant car.

I sat on one of the single chairs that faced the windows.

The seats in the carriage were leather-bound and comfortable. They can also swivel all the way round.

The chair swivel is practical if you want to face more towards the direction of travel.

A little pull-away table was tucked under the desk in front of the chair.

It was a great place to get a little work done.

Power outlets at the table came in handy.

The atmosphere was definitely a little more lively than on the quiet countryside train from Pori.

At lunchtime, I headed to the lower level of the carriage to buy food.

This one had a phone booth too.

There was a queue at the bar. I learned later that you can avoid this by booking food to be brought to you.

In the meantime, I could still enjoy the view.

There was a wide selection of foods available, with a menu in Finnish and English.

I saw other passengers eat hot dishes, but I stuck with the sandwiches I could see in this case.

I decided for a rye bread sandwich and some wine.

And there were more lakes and forests to check out.

A view of a lake is shown here.

I arrived at the Helsinki train station on time.

Here I am on the platform.

Helsinki's main station is in the middle of the city, a good spot to keep exploring.