The final express train from St Petersburg to Helsinki arrived in the Finnish capital on the evening of March 27, 2022, marking the closure of the last remaining railway link between Russia and the European Union. Since Western nations started imposing sanctions on Russia over its February 24 invasion of Ukraine, airspace closures have grounded all direct flights to Europe. The Allegro express had continued to run before the final day, but was regularly sold-out as Russians tried to leave before sanctions made travel all but impossible.