“Helsinki has significantly promoted rail transport in recent years. Investments in rail transport are not just transport investments, but they open up great opportunities for urban development,” says Rikhard Manninen, Land Use Director, City of Helsinki. A lot of new apartments and business premises would be built along the new light rail line.
“There has also been broad demand for apartments along with good rail connections during these times of low construction activity,” Manninen says.
The new light rail makes it possible to develop Malminkenttä as a new district relying on rail transport. The light rail also provides an opportunity to develop the Viikki campus into a hub of two light rail lines. The northern branch line to be implemented in the second phase in turn would improve the attractiveness of Jakomäki.
Over 15 km of new railway track
The alignment of the Viikki-Malmi light rail runs from Kumpula through Kustaa Vaasan tie and along Lahdenväylä to the area of Viikin Latokartano, crosses Kehä I there and continues along the new Ilmasilta over Lahdenväylä to the Malminkenttä area. Routes have been planned from Malminkenttä for the light rail both to Malmi Hospital and Jakomäki and further to Vaarala in Vantaa. The light rail would be built all the way to Malmi Hospital in the first phase. The second implementation phase would continue the light rail from Malminkenttä to Jakomäki and Vaarala.
The travel time from Helsinki Railway Station to Kumpula is 17 minutes, to Viikin tiedepuisto 24 minutes and to Malminkenttä 35 minutes. The project includes 8.6 km of new light rail from Kumpula to Malminkenttä, 4 km from Malminkenttä to Vaarala and 2.6 km from Malminkenttä to Malmi Hospital. In the two-branch option, the total length of the new light rail is 15.2 kilometres.
The area’s population will grow significantly
The population of northeastern Helsinki will grow so much in the coming decades that the area’s public transport services would not be of sufficient quality if relying on bus transport only. The light rail provides the area with much more efficient and more regular public transport connections than bus transport.
“In connection with the preparation of the general plan, we have looked at population growth within a radius of about 600 metres from the future stops of the light rail. The population will grow from the current 46,000 inhabitants to even more than 100,000 inhabitants by 2050, depending on which land use scenario will materialise. So there is a lot of user potential along the route,” says Project Manager Niko Setälä from the Urban Environment Division.
The cost estimate of the first phase is EUR 339 million
The cost estimate of the first phase investment of the light rail is approximately EUR 339 million. The cost estimate of the second phase investment is approximately EUR 99 million. Central government funding has already been granted for the design of the Viikki-Malmi light rail.
If the general plan is approved, the project planning of the first phase of the light rail will start next. It defines the entity to be implemented, its costs and more precise scheduling. After the project decision, the light rail will proceed to implementation planning. The light rail can be built in 2028–2032 at the earliest.
The Urban Environment Committee will discuss the light rail general plan at its meeting on Tuesday 26 November. The final decision on the general plan will be made by the City Council.
Take a closer look at the light rail line
An illustrative 3D model has been drawn up of the Viikki-Malmi light rail and the urban construction planned along it.
Viima light rail 3D model – Tietoa Development(Link leads to external service)
