VR’s green color granted trademark protection in Finland
Green is now VR’s green. VR’s distinctive green color has been registered as a color trademark in Finland for passenger rail services. The registration is a significant recognition of long-term brand-building efforts: Finns associate the color green exceptionally strongly with VR, and now one of the company’s most recognizable brand assets has also received official protection.
The color trademark grants VR the exclusive right to use its distinctive green color (Pantone 7481) as a brand identifier in passenger rail services in Finland. In practice, this means that other operators may not use the same or a confusingly similar shade of green as a key brand identifier in comparable services.
The green color has been a central part of our identity since 2009. It is visible every day across customer touchpoints, including trains, workwear, digital services, sales channels, and marketing.
“Brand equity is an important intangible asset for us. We are committed to building a strong and recognizable brand over the long term while ensuring that it is appropriately protected. Safety is a core value in all our operations, and that also extends to our intellectual property and other intangible assets,” says Minna Lampinen, VR’s Senior Vice President, Brand and Marketing.
Finns recognize VR by its green color
According to a brand awareness study conducted in November 2025, as many as 82% of respondents strongly associated the color green in passenger and freight transport with VR. The results demonstrate that green serves as an exceptionally strong identifier among Finns.
“VR is one of Finland’s most well-known brands. The fact that most Finns recognize us based solely on a color highlights the power of long-term and consistent brand-building,” says Minna Lampinen.
Color trademarks are relatively rare. Obtaining one requires long-term and consistent use, as well as evidence that the colour has become firmly associated in the public's mind with the services of a particular company.
Long-term brand building supports future competitiveness
The color trademark is based both on its registration and on the established use of the color. Over the years, VR’s green has become a recognized symbol of transport services in Finland. VR’s brand-building efforts have also received recognition, including the Finnish Chamber of Commerce’s Brand of the Year award in 2026.
Competition in Finland’s rail market is expected to increase during the 2030s. A clear and easily recognizable brand helps customers quickly identify VR’s services across different channels and situations.
The color trademark supports our goal of creating a consistent customer experience and ensuring that the visual identifier most strongly associated with our company remains distinctive and protected in the future.
