The question about building Karelian railway was fist raised in Finnish Eduskunta (Parliament) in 1872. The final decision was maid in 1888 and in 1890 the works begun.

The railway came to Sortavala in November 1893 after finishing 139-km line from Antrea. The way to Helsinki was 460 km, to St-Petersburg - 264 km, but the real joining with the Russian railway network happened only in 1914, when the bridge across Neva River was finished.

By June 1894 there was built a 2-km line to the Sortavala Port and by November of the same year a 133-km line Sortavala-Värtsilä-Joensuu.

Karelian railway opened a new chapter in the history of the city and all Ladoga region of Karelia.

The railway station and depot buildings were raised at the South-West suburb of the city. Water tower and turn-table that were built later also became part of station buildings complex.

The Railway Station has also become a part of Sortavala historical day of 22-nd of September, 1944; the day when at 10 AM the last train with evacuating city inhabitants took off.