Helsinki airport, one of Europe’s main gateways to Asia, will be linked by rail to the centre of Helsinki from 2014 thanks to a project supported by the European Investment Bank (EIB).

Under the terms of an agreement signed today, the EIB will provide EUR 45 m to Finnish airport operating company, Finavia Corporation, to part-finance Finavia’s share of the Ring Rail Line project . Other financing for the Ring Rail Line will come from the City of Vantaa and the Finnish Government. The Ring Rail Line will connect the Finnish capital to the airport, a leading transfer hub for East-West intercontinental flights, and the Aviapolis business park. In total, four new stations and 18 kilometres of track will be built, enabling trains to run at 10-minute intervals in peak hours and at speeds of up to 120 km per hour. Shorter journey times and more comfortable travel are expected to reduce road traffic, bringing substantial environmental benefits.

The rail line is an EU priority Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) project and is part of the Nordic Triangle scheme upgrading road, rail and maritime infrastructure in Finland and Sweden.

“The EIB is pleased to support this important project, which will enhance the airport infrastructure and greatly improve suburban transport links in the greater Helsinki area,” said EIB Vice-President Eva Srejber.

Background:

The mission of the EIB, the European Union’s bank, is to contribute to the integration, balanced development and economic and social cohesion of the EU Member States by financing sound investments. This loan is one of many supporting the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region and its four priorities:  sustainable environment; regional prosperity; increased accessibility and attractiveness; safety and security.

Finavia Corporation maintains Finland's network of 25 airports and the national air navigation system.