Commuting in the Helsinki region will become faster and more environmentally friendly thanks to a major expansion of the Finnish capital’s metro network, to be part-financed by the European Investment Bank (EIB).

The EIB will lend up to EUR 450 m to the project company Länsimetro, owned jointly by the City of Espoo and the City of Helsinki, for the construction of a 14-km line from Central Helsinki to Espoo. The Westmetro project comprises a double-track, fully automated line with seven new stations and will link to the existing network in Central and Eastern Helsinki. More than 100,000 passengers per day are expected to use the new line where the automated system will enable traffic at 2.5-minute intervals at peak times, with an option to shorten this to 90 seconds at a later stage. Westmetro is to replace existing bus services and will encourage commuters to switch from road traffic, bringing significant environmental benefits when completed at the end of 2015.  

The Westmetro loan and guarantee agreements were signed today at a ceremony in Espoo by Matti Kokkinen, CEO of Länsimetro Oy, Jukka Mäkelä, Mayor of Espoo, Jussi Pajunen, Mayor of Helsinki, and EIB Vice-President Eva Srejber.

“The European Investment Bank is pleased to support this significant project. Westmetro will contribute to the further integration and growth of one of Northern Europe’s most dynamic regions,” said EIB Vice-President Eva Srejber.

In addition to the EIB loan, the project is also supported by the Nordic Investment Bank, the Finnish government and the two municipalities.

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.

The City of Espoo has a population of 240,000 and is the second largest city in Finland. It is also the home of a number of well-known companies.

The City of Helsinki is Finland’s capital and has a population of 573,000. The greater Helsinki region generates approximately one-third of the country’s GDP.