The One-hour Turku Rail Link is a fast, double-track rail link between Helsinki and Turku, which is currently in the planning stage. The connection will significantly reduce travel between the two cities and provide new opportunities for growth and development.
The Espoo–Salo direct rail line and the cut-off sections between Salo and Turku will significantly shorten the distance between Helsinki and Turku by rail and the double-track sections will streamline railway traffic.
A stronger connection to the west
With the war in Ukraine, Finland has been distanced from the markets and the European continent. A Helsinki–Espoo–Turku–Åland–Stockholm connection would link Finland more strongly with the west and improve our security of supply. A transport corridor combining rail and maritime transport would also reinforce our connection with the other Nordic countries.
The One-hour Turku Rail Link is part of the cross-border Scandinavian-Mediterranean Corridor within the Trans-European Transport Network TEN-T. Both Helsinki and Turku are hubs within the TEN-T core network. EU’s CEF (Connecting Europe Facility) funding has been granted for the planning stage of the project due to its importance. EU funding may also be sought for the construction of the rail link.
A more efficient and sustainable Finland
The one-hour rail link is an investment in a more efficient labor market. It will create a consistent and dynamic labor market region comprising 1.5 million people in Southern Finland to boost economic growth in Finland. The needs of businesses and the skills of employees are brought together more effectively, and businesses are able to find new partners.
The development of rail traffic will in turn enable Finland to move away from fossil fuels. Rail investments create sustainable urban structure, whose impact reaches beyond the next century.
Railway access to an increasing number of people
Railway lines reinforce the standing of cities and towns, as improved accessibility encourages more people to move to places along the railway line or the railway terminal cities. The train becomes a genuine alternative to passenger cars for an increasing number of people. With the one-hour rail link, travel between Turku and the Helsinki Metropolitan Area will become comparable in length with travel within the Metropolitan Area.
Furthermore, the one-hour rail link will not only connect Helsinki, Espoo, and Turku with each other, but also provides access to the rail network for the municipalities along the railway line and their residents. In the future, the service provided by the Coastal Railway to the existing residents and areas along the line will be improved even further.
One-hour train brings the rail service to new locations
Once the one-hour Turku rail link is completed, the travel time by train between Helsinki Central railway station and Turku railway station will be reduced from almost two hours to up to 78 minutes. New stations and stops would be added to Hista in Espoo, Veikkola in Kirkkonummi, Nummela in Vihti and Lohja. The new line will also provide better opportunities to develop commuter traffic in Southwest Finland.