Espoo Rail Line

The Espoo Rail Line project refers to the construction of two additional tracks between Leppävaara and Kauklahti. The project is part of more extensive efforts to develop transport in the capital region, with the aim of responding to the growing number of passengers and improving the functioning of public transport. As part of the project, new station platforms will be built and existing ones will be upgraded. Improvements include lengthening the platforms, enhancing accessibility, and developing passenger services.

In connection with the Espoo Rail Line, the high-quality cycling and pedestrian route Rantaradanbaana will be built between Leppävaara and Espoon keskus, and other smaller projects will also be carried out. The Espoo Rail Line is also linked to other major rail transport projects, like the West Railway, creating a high-speed rail link between Helsinki and Turku. These projects complement each other and together improve the rail transport infrastructure across Western Finland.

You can find the latest information about the project on the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency’s website and the project’s Facebook page. Rail traffic will need to be interrupted several times during the construction phase. Further information is provided through the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency’s channels.

Espoo Rail Line on the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency’s website(external link, opens in a new window)

Espoo Rail Line project’s Facebook page(external link, opens in a new window)

Espoo Rail Line newsletters(external link, opens in a new window) (in Finnish)

During the project, two new tracks will be built and old tracks will be partly replaced. In the future, four tracks will run side by side along the widened rail corridor. The southern tracks will serve commuter trains, while the northern tracks will be reserved for long-distance trains. The areas around the stations will be developed in accordance with the railway plan. This includes improving connections and park-and-ride facilities to make travelling easier and more convenient. The total cost of the project is approximately EUR 330 million, which will be divided between the state and the cities of Espoo and Kauniainen. During the planning phase, the project received Connecting Europe Facility funding from the EU.

The City of Espoo will carry out its own separate projects in connection with the rail line project, including the Rantaradanbaana cycling and pedestrian route as well as new underpasses and overpasses. Rantaradanbaana will run along the rail line from Leppävaara to Espoon keskus. The project will also enable the extension of the cycling route all the way to Kauklahti. Rantaradanbaana is part of Espoo’s cycling route network. The Espoo Rail Line and the related projects will also be taken into account in the city’s urban centre projects, for example in Kera and Kauklahti.

The Espoo Rail Line is also linked to the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency’s other rail transport projects, like the West Railway(external link, opens in a new window) between Helsinki and Turku.

The Espoo Rail Line is a massive project, progressing in phases over several years. The construction of the rail line started in January 2024. The section between Leppävaara and Espoon keskus will be completed by the end of 2028, and the plan is to start using the new tracks on this section in 2027. According to the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency’s estimate, the project will be fully completed in 2029.

Project phases

• General plans 2002–2011
• Railway plan 2012–2014
• Construction plan 2021–2023
• Construction phase 2024–2029

The construction work has been divided into four area contracts and an excavation contract. Area contract 1 covers the section between Leppävaara and Kera, area contract 2 focuses on Kauniainen, area contract 3 covers the section between Koivuhovi and Espoon keskus, and area contract 4 covers the section from Espoon keskus to Kauklahti. Excavation work takes place in the vicinity of the Kaupunginkallio residential area. Area contracts 1–3 and excavation work are under way, and preparations for area contract 4 will start in autumn 2025. You can read more about the progress made in each area on the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency’s website(external link, opens in a new window) (in Finnish).

Rail traffic will be disrupted several times during the construction phase. The most significant disruptions will take place during the five weeks following Midsummer. There will also be a few weekend-long disruptions annually in spring and autumn. Information on train service disruptions is available on the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency’s website.(external link, opens in a new window)