The One Hour Train enables local traffic in Southwest Finland

The completion of the Turku One Hour Train makes it possible to develop local services in Southwest Finland. Between Turku and Salo, it will be possible to operate local trains with intervals of 30 or 60 minutes, depending on the rolling stock used. The local trains could stop at stations and halts in Turku, Kupittaa, Varissuo, Littoinen, Piikkiö, Paimio, Hajala, Halikko* and Salo.   

Local traffic in Southwest Finland

The information appears from Sweco’s account in which the locations of the stops of the local services between Turku and Salo, as well as the necessary changes of infrastructure, were confirmed. In addition, timetables for railway traffic with different intervals and rolling stocks were examined.

– In spite of its name, the One Hour Train is not only a faster service between Turku and Helsinki. According to accounts, it makes it possible to develop local services in new places both in Uusimaa and Southwest Finland, says Pekka Ottavainen, managing director of the Turku One Hour Train Ltd.

The chosen rolling stock affects running times

In the present situation in Southwest Finland, chiefly fast long-distance trains are used between Helsinki and Turku. Between Salo and Turku, the trains stop only in Kupittaa, and there is no local traffic.

When the One Hour Train has been completed, the entire railway section between Salo and Turku will be double-tracked. In addition, in Piikkiö, Kriivari and Hajala, tracks in the section have been straightened to make the traffic smoother.

According to the account, the intervals of local trains depend on the rolling stock used. Between Turku and Salo, local trains could be used with intervals of 30 minutes, if Sm5 city trains, which are widely used in Greater Helsinki, are used. However, Sm2 trains of older stock can only be used with intervals of no more than one hour.

With both rolling stocks, more frequent intervals would require changes of infrastructure, for example more tracks and passing places.

– The chosen rolling stock also affects running times of local trains. In our planning, however, we do not make decisions on what rolling stock local trains should be used with or where trains should stop, Ottavainen points out.

By train to new places

In addition to long-distance traffic, the One Hour Train also enables new local traffic in Uusimaa. With the new service, you will for the first time be able to go by train to Hista in Espoo, Veikkola in Kirkkonummi, and to Vihti and Lohja. The local trains will go from Helsinki to Hista in 26 minutes, to Veikkola in 31 minutes, to Vihti in 37 minutes and to Lohja in 44 minutes.

A long-distance train will take you to Vihti in 29 minutes and to Lohja in 33 minutes.

After the completion of the One Hour Train, eight trains per hour will be able to go from Helsinki towards Turku. Four of these will continue along the coast line to Kirkkonummi and four to the Espoo–Salo direct line.

Information

Pekka Ottavainen, managing director, Turku One Hour Train Ltd, 0400 261 097, pekka.ottavainen(a)tunninjuna.fi

*The construction of a halt in Halikko requires changes in the present design and the geometry of the track.