Helsinki is one of the big European capitals that form their transport system based on public and railway transport, becomes a very important part in supplying services. The development of the tram and metro network and the establishment of connections to Espoo, a city located about 16-km away from the capital, will ensure the increase of rail public transport share compared to road transport, a reduced travel time and environmental impact. The development of the metro system, through the construction of the sections to the west, West Metro, is the biggest construction project of Finland’s transport infrastructure.
The authorities estimate that the number of people leaving in the Helsinki capital region will double over the next four decades putting pressure on the public transport system which plays a major role in the city’s metropolitan area. Over the past years, HKL, Helsinki’s public transport operator, has implemented various projects, among them the operation of the Ring Rail Line which also serves Helsinki Airport, the commissioning of a new bus network, and a project to test a new bus procurement model. Also a letter of intent on providing commuter rail services until 2021 was signed by HSL, VR and rolling stock company Pääkaupunkiseudun Junakalusto Oy and a new ticketing system was introduced.
Raising the awareness on the importance of public transport due to its crucial contribution to economic development and setting connections between the city and the region, the authorities committed to complete the ongoing projects and launch new initiatives. In November 2016, the Council announced that 30% of the city’s total budget will go to public transport development projects, while around EUR 170 million of the total EUR 657 million investments will go to Helsinki City Transport. In 2017-2019, the local authority grants financing to the two, big public rail transport projects: EUR 114 million for Jokeri LRT, including necessary systems and trams, EUR 68 million for Crown Bridges LRT and EUR 51 million for tram procurement.
In Helsinki, the public transport system ensures 252 million journeys per year on a tram network of 48 km and 21 km of metro lines.
Currently, the capital’s most important project is the extension of the metro system that now serves two directions, to the east and to the west. The project includes the extension of the metro network to the west, called West Metro, in two phases, the total length of the line being 21 km and 13 stations. The total cost of Ruoholahti – Matinkylä railway was of around EUR 1.2 billion of which the government granted a EUR 249 million financing, while the project overpayment totalled EUR 337 million. According to Länsimetro Oy, the two cities where the project is being executed agreed to mutually share the costs and the shares will be divided based on the area covered by the project in each of the two cities. Therefore, Espoo’s share is approx. 85%, while Helsinki’s share is 15%.
The first phase includes a 14-km extension on Ruoholahti–Matinkylä route with two stations in Helsinki (Lauttasaari and Koivusaari) and six stations in Espoo (Keilaniemi, Aalto-University, Tapiola, Urheilupuisto, Niittykumpu and Matinkylä). Länsimetro Oy is responsible for achieving the metro system extension project. In September, six stations of this section were entrusted to HKL operator to start preparations to launch transport services on the new line. The management of the stations and of the railway is taken over by HKL. Also, HKL control centre, Herttoniemi, with ten systems, will manage all the other 52 systems on West Metro section, the passengers’ safety and maintenance of operations, as well as the traffic on the new line and on the existing network. Ruoholahti – Matinkylä section was commissioned in November. Consequently, the metro is functional on two railways, Matinkylä-Vuosaari and Tapiola-Mellunmäki. Bus transport services are still available in parallel for a certain period of time.
“For about 1.5 months, the Metro and current bus routes will be operating to Matinkylä side by side. This gives passengers time to get used to the new transport link and allows us to ascertain its performance before introducing the new bus routes,” Suvi Rihtniemi, Executive Director of HSL said.
So far, the commissioning of the West Metro section is Finland’s biggest construction project.
The new section, under construction
The second phase of the capital’s metro extension to the west includes the construction of the 7-km long Matinkylä–Kivenlahti section, of five stations and a depot in Sammalvuori. The new railway is expected to be completed in 2020.
Excavation works for the development of the section were launched in 2014 and are now over 90% completed. Around 14,000 cubic metres of stone have been excavated between the two stations. This phase includes the development of the five stations Finnoo, Kaitaa, Soukka, Espoonlahti and Kivenlahti and of the underground depot. This summer, excavation works to Sammalvuori depot were completed, while construction works are currently underway. Also, the excavation of the tunnel in Soukka Station was accomplished, while excavations for the completion of an access (Yläkartano entry) will be finalised in the first quarter of 2018. Works to Kivenlahti Station continue.
In the other locations, excavation works are on schedule and 92,5% completed at Espoonlahti Station, 83,7% at Kaitaa Station and 74% completed in Finnoo.
Adjacent tunnelling connections will be completed towards the end of the project or depending on the evolution of works in different stages of development.
The first tunnelling connection between Finnoo and Kaitaa was completed this summer and digging for Soukka – Espoonlahti connection was carried out in autumn. Also, the tunnels between Finnoo–Kaitaa and Kaitaa–Soukka have been completed. Currently, the tunnel is completed from Finnoo, the first station of the second phase and the second to last station, Espoonlahti. According to estimates, Espoonlahti – Kivenlahti connection will be completed soon, this being the last station of the second section of West Metro. The connection between Espoonlahti station and the depot was also excavated, while other necessary works will also be completed. Construction works will follow digging. Works to Sammalvuori depot are currently underway.
This new metro section will be commissioned in 2020. According to estimates, this section will be used by 67,500 passengers daily until 2035.
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