HelsinkiâTurku high-speed railway | |
---|---|
Overview | |
Locale | Southwest Finland |
Termini |
|
History | |
Planned opening | 2031 [1] |
Technical | |
Number of tracks | Double track |
Track gauge | 1,524 mm (5 ft) |
Electrification | 25 kV @ 50 Hz |
Operating speed | Up to 300 km/h (190 mph) |
The HelsinkiâTurku high-speed railway or EspooâSalo-oikorata [2] (EspooâSalo direct line), also formerly known as the ELSA-rata (Espoo-Lohja-Salo), is a proposed railway line in the planning stage to provide a more direct connection between Helsinki and Turku, Finland than the current Rantarata railway line which follows the southern coast. The project is also known as Turun tunnin juna (Turku one hour train), despite the fact that a journey between Helsinki and Turku on the new line would last about one hour and 18 minutes.
The first examination of a direct rail link between Espoo and Salo took place in 1979. [3] The current plans for the new railway line involve destruction of the homes for hundreds of people since it would go right through housing areas. The construction of 95 km (59 mi) of track between Espoo and Salo with maximum running speeds of 300 km/h (190 mph), allowing for a journey time of an hour and 18 minutes between Helsinki and Turku compared to the current one hour and 54 minutes. In 2017, the Finnish government provided âŹ10 million in funding towards the planning and construction of the line, with half of this being eligible for European Union TEN-T funding. [4]
In April 2018, the Finnish Transport Agency awarded planning contracts for the line to three consultants: Sitowise Finland for the Espoo to Lohja section of track, Pöyry for the Lohja to SuomusjÀrvi section, and Ramboll for the SuomusjÀrvi to Salo section. [5] After the 2019 Finnish parliamentary election, new Prime Minister of Finland Antti Rinne's government confirmed its commitment to advancing the three planned Finnish high-speed rail lines: the ELSA-rata, a Helsinki- Tampere line, and the ItÀrata line from Helsinki to Eastern Finland. [6]
In September 2019, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment gave authorisation to the Ministry of Transport and Communications to establish the Turku One Hour Train Project Company to oversee the HelsinkiâTurku high-speed rail line, and the Suomirata Project Company, which will manage development of the new RiihimĂ€kiâTampere line. [7] [8]
Following the Finnish government's request for investment in February 2020, [9] the EU's Connecting Europe Facility approved âŹ37.5 million in funding for the HelsinkiâTurku high-speed rail project in July 2020, [10] to form an integral part of the Trans-European Transport Network's HelsinkiâValletta Corridor.
The line is planned to branch from the Rantarata after Espoo railway station, connecting to Salo following the Finnish national road 1 corridor, through the municipalities of Vihti and Lohja. To complement the line and increase capacity, the track between LeppÀvaara and Espoo will be quadrupled as part of the Helsinki commuter rail services. [11] New stations are proposed to be built in Hista ( Espoo), Veikkola, Nummela and Lempola ( Lohja). [12]
In July 2019, residents of the LukkarinmÀki area of Salo have gathered a petition of 2,500 signatures against building the line through their neighbourhood, due to the potential need to demolish some properties. [13] Alternatives proposed include building the line to avoid the neighbourhood or building a tunnel.
By reducing the journey time to 75 minutes between Helsinki and Turku, along with new stations in Vihti and Lohja, a further 1.6 million passengers are expected annually. [14] Capacity will also be freed on the existing Rantarata railway line following the coast.
The total construction cost of the ELSA-rata was estimated at âŹ1.5 billion as of 2016, with planning costs of âŹ40 million. [15] In 2019 it was reported that the expected cost had increased to âŹ2 billion. [16]
In December 2023 the project company LĂ€nsirata Oy lowered their cost estimates significantly due to major changes in project planning. The whole project is now estimated to cost from 2,8 to 3 billion euros. [17]
HelsinkiâTurku high-speed railway | |
---|---|
Overview | |
Locale | Southwest Finland |
Termini |
|
History | |
Planned opening | 2031 [1] |
Technical | |
Number of tracks | Double track |
Track gauge | 1,524 mm (5 ft) |
Electrification | 25 kV @ 50 Hz |
Operating speed | Up to 300 km/h (190 mph) |
The HelsinkiâTurku high-speed railway or EspooâSalo-oikorata [2] (EspooâSalo direct line), also formerly known as the ELSA-rata (Espoo-Lohja-Salo), is a proposed railway line in the planning stage to provide a more direct connection between Helsinki and Turku, Finland than the current Rantarata railway line which follows the southern coast. The project is also known as Turun tunnin juna (Turku one hour train), despite the fact that a journey between Helsinki and Turku on the new line would last about one hour and 18 minutes.
The first examination of a direct rail link between Espoo and Salo took place in 1979. [3] The current plans for the new railway line involve destruction of the homes for hundreds of people since it would go right through housing areas. The construction of 95 km (59 mi) of track between Espoo and Salo with maximum running speeds of 300 km/h (190 mph), allowing for a journey time of an hour and 18 minutes between Helsinki and Turku compared to the current one hour and 54 minutes. In 2017, the Finnish government provided âŹ10 million in funding towards the planning and construction of the line, with half of this being eligible for European Union TEN-T funding. [4]
In April 2018, the Finnish Transport Agency awarded planning contracts for the line to three consultants: Sitowise Finland for the Espoo to Lohja section of track, Pöyry for the Lohja to SuomusjÀrvi section, and Ramboll for the SuomusjÀrvi to Salo section. [5] After the 2019 Finnish parliamentary election, new Prime Minister of Finland Antti Rinne's government confirmed its commitment to advancing the three planned Finnish high-speed rail lines: the ELSA-rata, a Helsinki- Tampere line, and the ItÀrata line from Helsinki to Eastern Finland. [6]
In September 2019, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment gave authorisation to the Ministry of Transport and Communications to establish the Turku One Hour Train Project Company to oversee the HelsinkiâTurku high-speed rail line, and the Suomirata Project Company, which will manage development of the new RiihimĂ€kiâTampere line. [7] [8]
Following the Finnish government's request for investment in February 2020, [9] the EU's Connecting Europe Facility approved âŹ37.5 million in funding for the HelsinkiâTurku high-speed rail project in July 2020, [10] to form an integral part of the Trans-European Transport Network's HelsinkiâValletta Corridor.
The line is planned to branch from the Rantarata after Espoo railway station, connecting to Salo following the Finnish national road 1 corridor, through the municipalities of Vihti and Lohja. To complement the line and increase capacity, the track between LeppÀvaara and Espoo will be quadrupled as part of the Helsinki commuter rail services. [11] New stations are proposed to be built in Hista ( Espoo), Veikkola, Nummela and Lempola ( Lohja). [12]
In July 2019, residents of the LukkarinmÀki area of Salo have gathered a petition of 2,500 signatures against building the line through their neighbourhood, due to the potential need to demolish some properties. [13] Alternatives proposed include building the line to avoid the neighbourhood or building a tunnel.
By reducing the journey time to 75 minutes between Helsinki and Turku, along with new stations in Vihti and Lohja, a further 1.6 million passengers are expected annually. [14] Capacity will also be freed on the existing Rantarata railway line following the coast.
The total construction cost of the ELSA-rata was estimated at âŹ1.5 billion as of 2016, with planning costs of âŹ40 million. [15] In 2019 it was reported that the expected cost had increased to âŹ2 billion. [16]
In December 2023 the project company LĂ€nsirata Oy lowered their cost estimates significantly due to major changes in project planning. The whole project is now estimated to cost from 2,8 to 3 billion euros. [17]