Information about Vantaa Light Rail
The rail network is the backbone of Vantaa, as well as an important part of the entire metropolitan transport system. Vantaa keeps on growing sustainably along rails. Vantaa light rail interconnects Vantaa’s different regions more tightly together.
City of Vantaa is an international airport city in the middle of the Helsinki metropolitan area. An attractive city that grows fast is the fourth biggest city in Finland with more than 250,000 inhabitants (in 2024). More than 10,000 companies operate in Vantaa, providing more than 100,000 jobs, and the fastest-growing business area in Finland, Aviapolis, is situated right next to the airport area.
Vantaa keeps on growing along rails, and therefore Vantaa is building a light rail route. The Ring Rail Line combined Vantaa and the airport as part of the core of the metropolis. Vantaa light rail continues this development by interconnecting Vantaa’s different regions more tightly together. It combines Hakunila and Länsimäki areas with the rail network and creates a direct connection to Tikkurila, Aviapolis, and the airport. The rail network is the backbone of Vantaa, as well as an important part of the entire metropolitan transport system.
Vantaa Light Rail will improve the reliability of transversal public transport and service quality. The light rail line will increase the city's appeal and strengthen well-being in the area through new jobs. Furthermore, it will promote the construction of new housing and services along the light rail line.
Vantaa Light Rail Route
Vantaa Light Rail will be the first light rail line in the city. The 19 km line will run from the Mellunmäki metro station via Länsimäki and Hakunila to Tikkurila, then to Jumbo and finally the airport.
The light rail route and stops have been recorded in the Vantaa map service.
Vantaa Light Rail in brief
| Route | Mellunmäki-Hakunila-Tikkurila-Aviapolis-Airport |
|---|---|
| Route length | 19,3 kilometres (500 metres in Helsinki to connect metro) |
| Maximum speed | 70 km/h |
| Stops | 27 |
| Stop interval | approx. 800 metres |
| Service frequency | 7,5 minutes during rush hours, 10–20 min ant other times |
| Service hours | 4.30–1.30 |
| Capacity | 174 passengers per carriage |
| Daily passengers | approx. 31,000 in 2030 |
| Schedule | Construction will begin in 2025 (target). Completion in 2029. |
| Construction costs | 606 million euros. |
| Residents and jobs along the light rail line in 2021 and 2050 | residents 56,000 / 124,000 jobs 52,000 / 83,000 |
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The light rail line will develop the city and streetscape
It is Vantaa’s goal to grow along effective public transport links. Vantaa Light Rail supports this objective. Vantaa Light Rail will develop the city: it will create new housing, jobs and services, along with making day-to-day life easier.
The light rail line will create a new avenue of growth as it will run through the central areas of Hakunila, Tikkurila and Aviapolis. The line will also increase appeal and provide real estate developers with opportunities thanks to the persistent access it provides. Aviapolis and Tikkurila boast a large number workplaces, the employees of which the light rail line will serve. In the future, the light rail line will expedite commutes from Eastern Vantaa.
It is Vantaa’s goal to be carbon neutral by 2030. The light rail line will contribute to achieving this target. Smooth public transport arrangements will ensure easy mobility with a single car per household or no car at all.
More comfortable street environments
In connection to building the light rail system, the city also has the opportunity to update streets and park areas. The aim is to plan green and high-quality environments and streets around the light rail stops. In Jokiniemi, for example, green areas will be developed as urban parks and recreational areas.
Improvements to pedestrian and bicycle paths
Pedestrian and bicycle paths will be improved in connection to the construction of the light rail line with a total budget of 60 million euros. The efforts will involve making the urban environment more comfortable for pedestrians.
Bicycle parking will also be added along the light rail line to facilitate switching from one mode of transport to another.
The planned bicycle paths will run in both directions. The aim is to provide bicycle parking at each stop. A further goal is to provide other services, such as bicycle maintenance, at some key stops. More details are provided in the report regarding bicycle traffic.
Sustainability, greenness and ecology
Sustainability, greenness and ecology are key principles in the planning of the Vantaa light rail line. Sustainability and ecology mean not only increased sustainable mobility with the light rail line, but also the implementation of technical construction solutions in the most environmentally friendly way possible, and adaptation to climate change through, for example, stormwater management.
The aspect of greenness is related to the environment and user experience of the light rail line. The aim is to foster the existing greenery in the urban environment and increase it. The rail line will primarily feature a lawn cover, and continuous rows of trees will be planted along the line, where possible. The greenery will cool down the microclimate in summer, which will make the street environment and light rail travel more comfortable.
Valuable natural locations, ecological connections that enable animal mobility, and recreational areas and routes will be considered in the further planning of the light rail line, even though the most valuable natural areas in Vantaa are mostly not located in the immediate vicinity of the light rail line.
Accessibility
The street planning will take into account all modes of transport as well as accessibility. The environments around the stops will be primarily be planned with particular regard to accessibility. This means that pedestrian crossings and access to the stops will be made suitable for visually impaired persons and wheelchair users by means of high-visibility colours and paving, for example.
The accessible design that places the stop and tram at the same level will also help those with prams or walkers. The high-visibility colours are useful to everyone as they indicate the position of centre door.
An essential part of the transport system in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area
Vantaa Light Rail will supplement the rail network in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area and create public transport connections for the entire region.
Vantaa Light Rail will become an important new link to Helsinki Airport. The light rail line will provide to transfer to the main line in Tikkurila when travelling from the airport. It will also provide access to the Mellunmäki metro station.
Connections to the regional bus services on Tuusulanväylä, Porvoonväylä and Lahdenväylä have been planned for Vantaa Light Rail.
In time, the Vantaa light rail line will become part of the rail network of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. In the future, it may be connected to the Viikki-Malmi light rail line and also extend to the west in the form of the West Vantaa light rail line.
Once completed, Vantaa Light Rail will be part of HSL’s regional transport system. For this reason, the colour of the carriages will be green to match the light rail line 15 in Helsinki and Espoo.
Why are buses not enough? As the city’s population increases, the transport capacity of the buses will not be able to meet the demand. One light rail vehicle will replace three bus departures in the future.
The light rail line provides a comfortable and easy way to travel
The light rail line will be designed to be as comfortable, easy and reliable as possible as a mode of transport. People generally see light rail travel to be significantly more comfortable than bus travel.
Vantaa Light Rail will also be an eco-friendly solution, as a good rail connection reduces the need for people to use their cars. Vantaa is committed to being carbon neutral by 2030, and the light rail will contribute to achieving this goal.
Fast travel on the light rail line
The light rail line is faster than the conventional tram system. The top speed of Vantaa Light Rail 70 km/h, and the average speed is 22 km/h. The average speed is calculated by dividing the length of the route by the time spent driving it, including stops.
The actual speed always varies depending on the route section; you can drive closer to top speed between downtown areas than within them. Vantaa Light Rail runs almost twice as fast as Helsinki's city trams, as their average speed is only 14 kilometres per hour.
Vantaa Light Rail uses lanes separated from other traffic for almost the entire distance. In this way, it remains is punctual even during rush hour and it does not get stuck in the middle of other traffic. There are also fewer and less frequent stops than on city trams, so that travel is faster. In this sense, the light rail is more akin to a metro or a commuter train than a tram.
The path of the Vantaa light rail line is also straighter and gentler on turns than the city tram. This makes the travel smoother and more comfortable and expedient. At traffic lights, the light rail is given priority so that it needs to stop as infrequently as possible between stops.
Spacious and accessible carriages
The goal of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area is to create a light rail network where the same carriages can be used everywhere. Vantaa’s light rail equipment and, by extension, the related design principles correspond to the region’s first light rail line (i.e. line 15).
The track width is 1 metre, as is the case with the Helsinki tram network. The designed carriage width is 2.4 meters and the length is 34 meters. This means that the current depots in Helsinki can be used for the maintaining the carriages, if necessary.
Vantaa Light Rail will become part of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area’s public transport system and its colouring will match HSL’s colors. The light rail carriages will be green, with some silver at the front.
Vantaa's light rail carriages are spacious, and they can comfortably accommodate 174 passengers at a time. This is equal to the passengers of roughly two buses.
The carriages can also be extended to 45 meters if the number of passengers increases. This will make it possible to fit three buses' worth of passengers on board.
The Vantaa light rail carriages can run in two directions, so they do not require turning loops at the ends of their routes, like city trams. For this reason, the carriages also feature doors on both sides.
In addition, the floor of the carriage is at the same level as the stops, which makes it possible to board easily and accessibly, even with wheelchairs or prams. It is not possible to bring a bicycle onboard.
Schedule
The construction of the light rail line is intended to begin in 2025, and operation is planned to start in 2029.
Costs
Vantaa Light Rail is a profitable investment for the city and its residents. In the long term, the benefits have been calculated to exceed the costs. Benefits will arise from, among other things, new investments along the route, jobs and housing, and the increase in property values.
You can read more about the financial effects on the light rail on the income and expenses pages (only in Finnish).
