Helsinki and Espoo finish light rail link ahead of schedule

Construction of a key light rail line between Helsinki and Espoo, Finland has been completed ahead of schedule and will start operating next month. Initially it will run with less frequent services until more vehicles are delivered.

The Jokeri Light Rail Line – which was initially due to be completed in summer 2024 – will link Itäkeskus in the Finnish capital and Keilaniemi in the neighbouring municipality of Espoo.

“The new light rail line will provide a brand new zero-emission mode of transport, which will significantly improve cross-town transport services and travel comfort, “said Mika Nykänen, Executive Director, Helsinki Regional Transport Authority (HSL).

The line is 25 kilometres in length with 34 stops, and will provide key interchanges with the metro as well as commuter trains.

New apartments have also been built along the line in Oulunkylä, Helsinki and in Perkkaa, Espoo, while cycling and walking routes have also been developed.

Alliance model

Construction on the project began in 2019, with the first test runs taking place in February 2023.

The project was organised under an “alliance model” where the client, designers and contractors are combined into one organisation to plan and implement the project together – sharing the risks and benefits.

Through the Jokeri Light Rail Alliance, the cities of Helsinki and Espoo first invited the designers to tender as one group, and the contractors and other system providers as another group.

The designer for the project is a consortium formed by Ramboll Finland, Sitowise and Sweco, and the contractor is a consortium formed by YIT Finland and NRC Group Finland.

After making choices based on the tenders, the client formed an alliance with the selected service providers.

Project cooperation took place at the alliance’s coworking space, which it says “diminished the boundaries between the organisations and promoted the idea of working as a united alliance”.

Cross-city benefits

“One of the key factors in the success of the large rail project has been the alliance model, in which the client, designers and the contractor form a single project organisation,” said Olli Isotalo, Urban Environment Director at the City of Espoo.

“[The line] will provide a cross-town rail link in Espoo, improving the punctuality, capacity and travel comfort of cross-town public transport.”

The cities say that due to faster-than-expected completion of the construction, all the vehicles ordered have not been delivered and the services will initially run less frequently than planned – every 12 minutes at the busiest times.

When all the vehicles have been delivered by summer 2024, the service will run every six minutes at peak times.

Image: City of Helsinki