3 May 2021 will be an important date for the public transport of Jätkäsaari: on that day, the trams will for the first time be able to take the circular route around Jätkäsaari along the new Atlantinsilta bridge.
After the opening of Atlantinsilta, tram line 9 will continue from Saukonpaasi along Atlantinkatu and the new Atlantinsilta bridge to the West Terminal. Saukonkatu and Kanariankatu will be new stops along Atlantinkatu. As of May, lines 7 and 9 will change their line number at the West Terminal, meaning that tram no. 7 arriving from the city centre will continue as line 9 through Saukonpaasi to Pasila following a schedule adjustment, and vice versa. The practice will be applied until the planned turning loop will be completed at Bunkkeri.
The biggest subject of dissatisfaction regarding the public transport of Jätkäsaari have been the high momentary passenger peaks at the West Terminal. As of May, congestion can be relieved more quickly, as lines 7 and 9 will operate at 10-minute intervals from the West Terminal from the early morning until late in the evening. Further, passengers heading to the city centre cannot take the wrong tram, as all trams end up in the city centre.
Separate tram lanes allow for smooth tram traffic in Jätkäsaari
A new district with separate tram lanes and without the inner city’s slow streets or cars parked onto the tracks, Jätkäsaari has good prerequisites for quick and smooth tram traffic. The walk to the closest tram stop is short from every corner of Jätkäsaari.
The construction of tram lines into a new area is always quite a puzzle because of the number of players involved. The City of Helsinki has decided on the placement of the tracks, metropolitan area public transportation agent HSL has designed the traffic and the schedules, while Helsinki City Transport HKL has built the tracks and will also operate the trams.
Jätkäsaari tram lines to be completed in 2024
Regarding Jätkäsaari tram lines, however, the focus is already on 2024, the estimated year of completion of the entire line network: the turning loops at the end stops will be ready by then, and tram line 8, offering a quick connection to Ruoholahti metro station, will be extended to the West Terminal. In 2024, a total of 18 tram rides will be available from the West Harbour hourly, i.e. a tram in every three minutes, and each of these will take people to the city centre.
Currently the biggest question mark regarding the completion schedules is the time of construction of the new turning loops in front of Bunkkeri and in Atlantinkatu. The schedule is still unknown in both cases and depends on the surrounding construction projects, leaving the question about the exact completion date of the tram lines open.
Tram line network 2021
Atlantinkatu and the new Atlantinsilta bridge will be opened to tram traffic on 3 May 2021. West Harbour Terminal 2 will be the end stop of lines 7 and 9. Line 8 will continue to operate as they do now, line 6T will be abolished. Line 6 serving Hernesaari will start to serve Eiranranta.
Tram line network 2024
Before the deployment of the final line network, new turning loops will be built for lines 8 and 9 in front of Bunkkeri and for line 7 in Atlantinkatu. The tracks will be extended from Eiranranta to the tip of Hernesaari.
