Radio | News week in plain Finnish | Saturday 22.11.2025

Western Railway and Vantaa Tramway

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There has been a lot of talk about rail transport this week.

Turku and Espoo decided to build the western line, while Vantaa decided to build a tramway.

Now we will tell you more about these rail projects.

Fast train between Helsinki and Turku

Map of the western railway route between Turku and Helsinki.

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The train from Helsinki to Turku now runs along the coastal line. If the western line is built, the travel time between the cities will be shortened. Photo: Jouni Koutonen / Yle, MapCreator, OpenStreetMap

There has been a lot of talk this week about the Western Railway. The Western Railway is a train line planned between Helsinki and Turku.

If the Western Railway is built, the travel time between Helsinki and Turku will be shortened. Along the Western Railway, you can get from Helsinki to Turku in just over an hour. Currently, the train journey takes about two hours.

The expensive price of the Western Railway

Empty train track, thin snow cover on the ground.

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If all municipalities along the line decide to participate in the western line, construction of the line could begin in two years. Photo: Linus Hoffman/Yle

Not everyone supports the western railway, as its construction costs a lot of money.

The first phase of the Western Railway will cost around 1.3 billion euros. Municipalities will pay 400 million euros and the state will pay the same amount. The railway company plans to borrow the remaining money, over 500 million euros.

Opponents of the Western Railway say that it is not worth building a new rail connection now, when money is tight anyway.

Decisions in the coming weeks

Petteri Orpo at a council meeting in Turku.

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The Turku City Council unanimously approved the construction of the western line. The city council also includes Prime Minister Petteri Orpo. Photo: Kimmo Gustafsson / Yle

The fate of the Western Railway will be decided in the coming weeks when the municipalities along the line decide whether they will participate.

Turku and Espoo have already decided on the matter. Their city councils approved the project at their meetings on Monday.

The other municipalities along the line are Vihti, Lohja, Kirkkonummi and Salo. Their councils will decide on the matter in the coming weeks.

Tram from Mellunmäki to Aviapolis

Vantaa tram route on the map from Mellunmäki to Aviapolis.

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A light rail line will be built between Mellunmäki and Aviapolis. Later, the line may be extended to the airport. Photo: graphics: Petteri Juuti / Yle, Ronnie Holmberg/ Yle, Mapcreator, OpenStreetMap

This week there has also been talk of another rail project.

The Vantaa City Council approved the construction of a light rail line at its meeting on Monday. The meeting lasted over 7 hours. The matter was decided by a vote.

Construction of the light rail line will begin this year.

The tram line will be built between Mellunmäki in Helsinki and Aviapolis in Vantaa. Later, the tram line may be extended to Helsinki-Vantaa Airport.

The cost of the tramway is approximately 750 million euros.

Repetition

A billboard advertising the upcoming tram in Vantaa’s Tikkurila district.

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Advertisement for the Vantaa tram in Tikkurila. Photo: Matti Myller / Yle

In the news week, we reported on two different rail projects.

A western railway line is being planned for train traffic between Turku and Helsinki.

Espoo and Turku have already decided to participate in the construction of the western line.

Vihti, Lohja, Kirkkonummi and Salo will decide on the matter in the coming weeks.

A light rail line is being built in Vantaa.

It runs between Mellunmäki in Helsinki and Aviapolis in Vantaa.

This was News Week - see you again tomorrow!