Earlier this autumn Espoo municipal council took one of its most debated and high-profile decisions in recent times. Their resolution, reached by a clear majority, was to extend the underground train connection from Helsinki to Espoo.
The actual extension will be from Ruoholahti in western Helsinki to Matinkylä in Espoo. Later, the environmental impacts of a further extension to Kivenlahti will be investigated. The alternative is a combination of bus and tram.
The cost of the new underground line is estimated at half a billion euros. It is clear that the sharing of cost between the involved partners will however be a hot potato, particular the division between the municipalities of Helsinki and Espoo. Most probably, the government will cover 30 percent of the cost.
Primarily, it will be 15 000 students and 600 businesses currently located in the Otaniemi technology cluster, that will benefit from the new underground link. By 2030, it has been envisaged that Espoo will see an increase of 50 000 jobs. The new transport system is a key factor in realising such a possibility.