Helsinki Airport has announced it will get the long-awaited train connection this summer when the Ring Rail Line opens, providing an easy connection between the airport and the city center.
According to Ville Haapasaari, the director of Helsinki Airport at Finavia, the new train link is one of the most important service improvements at the airport during the past 15 years. “We are very pleased that the rail line and the fact that people can travel all the way to the center of the Finnish capital by train will strengthen our status as a world-class airport,” he explains.
Finavia, the Finnish airport operator, has already started a €900m (US$1.06bn) development program in which Helsinki Airport is being prepared for 20 million passengers each year by 2020. The opening of the Ring Rail Line gives an important boost to the development of the airport.
“The Ring Rail Line will provide a new travel alternative for flight passengers that have easy access to train services. It will also be important for people working in the airport area. They already number about 20,000 and according to forecasts thousands will be added to this total in the next few years. The rail link will also provide a major boost to the development of business areas, such as Aviapolis, which will have its own train station,” added Haapasaari.
“In addition to flying, you can simply come to Helsinki Airport to spend time. In the terminal area accessible to all, there are cafes, a grocery store that is open 24 hours a day and a new restaurant world, which will open this spring. You can follow the hustle and bustle of the airport while sipping a cup of coffee or from the popular scenic terrace,” continued Haapasaari.
The construction of the Ring Rail Line began in 2009 and it is being built under the auspices of the Finnish Transport Agency. The project has also involved the City of Vantaa and Finavia Corporation. Trains will start running between Helsinki Airport and the Helsinki city center in summer 2015. The rail line will be 18km (11 miles) long and 8km (5 miles) of this will be in tunnels. The Helsinki Airport and Aviapolis stations will be located 40m (131ft) below ground.