Are you interested in performing at a metro station?

You are warmly welcome to perform at the busking areas in metro stations.

  • The areas are intended for short (1–2h) performances, such as street music or other small performances.
  • The busking places cannot be reserved in advance, but can be used on a ‘first come, first served’ basis.
  • Before starting a performance, please inform the metro’s security guards. If you cannot find a security guard at the metro station, you may begin performing. The security guards have the right to interrupt a performance if it disrupts the station’s operations.
  • The busking areas are not intended to be used to market or promote a private company or commercial product, or any ideological, religious or political stances.

See the busking areas list.

Matias Johansson named Länsimetro’s interim CEO as of 1 January 2024

Matias Johansson will serve as Länsimetro’s interim CEO starting on 1 January 2024, as Ville Saksi steps down from his role as CEO to take a position at another company. The interim CEO’s appointment will be in effect until a new CEO is appointed.

Johansson has served as Länsimetro’s CFO since spring of 2017.

Contact information
Matias Johansson, tel. +358 40 590 0313, firstname.lastname(at)lansimetro.fi

Länsimetro’s CEO will change

Ville Saksi will step down from his role of CEO at Länsimetro to join another company in January 2024. Saksi will continue to assume the duties of CEO until the end of 2023. CFO Matias Johansson is appointed as acting of CEO from 1 January 2024 until the board appoints a permanent CEO. Länsimetro immediately initiated the process of recruiting a successor for Saksi.

“I warmly thank Ville for his work as Länsimetro’s CEO and the excellent implementation of the second phase of the West Metro project. The project was completed in line with the set targets. Construction ended in 2022 and the project was EUR 100 million under budget. After the completion of the construction work, Saksi has successfully steered the focus of Länsimetro Oy’s operations from construction to owning the metro infrastructure,” says Olli Isotalo, Chair of Länsimetro’s Board of Directors.

“It has been great to be part of Finland’s largest infrastructure, HVAC and electricity and automation project and hold the position of Länsimetro’s CEO. This position has offered me a unique vantage point and the chance to work with outstanding professionals,” Saksi says.

Further information
Olli Isotalo, tel. 050 593 3359

Länsimetro’s sustainability programme completed

Länsimetro Oy is the owner of modern metro infrastructure that will stand the test of time. Länsimetro owns nearly 50% of the Helsinki region’s metro line kilometres: the 21-kilometre rail line section from Ruoholahti in Helsinki to Kivenlahti in Espoo, 13 metro stations, an underground metro depot and the technical systems. Länsimetro’s task is to ensure that the metro infrastructure it owns is in good condition and safe throughout its life cycle.

Sustainability is also at the heart of the metro infrastructure’s ownership. Länsimetro’s sustainability programme was completed at the start of summer 2023. The programme concerns the entire group and covers all areas of Länsimetro’s operations from a sustainability perspective. It brings together the principles to be complied with in the operations in terms of ownership of the metro infrastructure, financials, construction and corporate governance. Representatives from different operational areas participated in drawing up the programme. The sustainability programme will be updated regularly.

“At Länsimetro, sustainability has been firmly integrated into our day-to-day operations. The programme aims to highlight and better understand what we already do sustainably and to identify development areas that will steer our actions and day-to-day activities in an increasingly sustainable direction. The purpose of the programme is also to encourage Länsimetro employees to adopt more sustainable practices and develop new sustainable actions,” says Director of Administration Mari Mannila.

The main sustainability themes guiding Länsimetro’s operations are described in the website’s Sustainability section. In addition, examples of the measures taken to promote sustainability at Länsimetro will be given in the company’s communications.

Länsimetro Oy will move to Keilaniemi

Länsimetro Oy will move to Keilaniemi in Espoo.  From 19th June 2023 our new address will be Keilaranta 6, 02150 Espoo Our new mailing adress will be PL 15401, 02070 CITY OF ESPOO:

New phase, new look!

Länsimetro Oy has entered a new phase of operations this year after the multi-year West Metro construction project was completed and commuter traffic began on phase II, the Matinkylä–Kivenlahti section, in December 2022. Phase I consisted of constructing the Ruoholahti–Matinkylä section, on which commuter traffic began in November 2017.

“This year at Länsimetro, we have sharpened our new shared direction as an owner of modern metro infrastructure that will stand the test of time, creating strategic outlines for the years ahead. This has already led to concrete changes in many employees’ job profiles and in the summer, the expert organisation will move to Keilaniemi, into premises that are better suited for a team with fewer members than the project organisation. The Board of Directors approved Länsimetro Oy’s strategic outlines in its meeting in May. Länsimetro Oy operates in the background of the public transport operators as the expert organisation for owning and developing the metro infrastructure and uses its expertise to ensure that the metro is a successful, safe and attractive form of transport. Länsimetro will continue to carry out its own development tasks, including the construction and commissioning of the second entrances to the Kivenlahti and Koivusaari stations as the areas develop. Länsimetro will also participate with its expertise in the changes and development taking place in the urban environment,” says Ville Saksi, CEO of Länsimetro Oy.

Länsimetro’s new logo and colour scheme

Länsimetro’s look was freshened up to mark the beginning of a new phase and a shift in the focus of its operations. The new look is meant to further reinforce the company’s identity as an owner of modern metro infrastructure that will stand the test of time.

Länsimetro logo

  • The circle in the new logo depicts a station symbol. Länsimetro owns 13 metro stations: Lauttasaari, Koivusaari, Keilaniemi, Aalto University, Tapiola, Urheilupuisto, Niittykumpu, Matinkylä, Finnoo, Kaitaa, Soukka, Espoonlahti and Kivenlahti.
  • The letters L and M linked together inside the circle symbolise the metro track which comes in on one side and goes out on the other side of the circle in a continuous movement. The track section for commuter traffic owned by Länsimetro from Helsinki’s Ruoholahti to Espoo’s Kivenlahti is 21 kilometres long. The continuous line also illustrates that the metro track and stations in the Helsinki region continue to the east after the section owned by Länsimetro. The trunk metro line runs eastward from Ruoholahti and is owned by the City of Helsinki (Helsinki City Transport, HKL). Continuous co-operation is key.
  • The logo is blue. Länsimetro Oy is a mutual real estate company jointly owned by the City of Espoo (85%) and the City of Helsinki (15%). Länsimetro’s logo brings together the blue found in the logo of the City of Espoo and the blue hues of the Helsinki brand. The logo’s colours are also in line with the colour scheme used by Länsimetro’s key partners, Metropolitan Area Transport, Helsinki City Transport and the Helsinki Regional Transport Authority (HSL), because Länsimetro, as the owner of modern metro infrastructure and an expert organisation, works closely with the public transport operators in the Helsinki region.

Länsimetro’s brand colours are two fresh blue hues, an energetic green and a light beige. The colour palette is complemented by purple and yellow-orange

Länsimetro’s website has been updated to reflect the new visual identity. The contents have been updated to be consistent with the company’s ownership tasks and to describe the metro infrastructure owned by Länsimetro Oy. Contents on the different language pages will also be updated gradually. The social media channels will also be revamped to reflect the new look.

 

Kivenlahti’s Park & Ride facility is complete and will open to the public on Saturday 1 April 2023

The parking facility was part of Länsimetro’s Matinkylä–Kivenlahti construction project, in which a 7 km rail section, 5 metro stations and an underground metro depot were built.

The Kivenlahti Park & Ride facility is located at the metro line’s western terminal in Kivenlahti. Users of the Park & Ride and metro commuters will enjoy even more convenience once Kivenlahti’s western entrance is opened to the public. Photo: M. Partanen.

The Kivenlahti Park & Ride facility has been completed and will open to the public on Saturday 1 April 2023. The facility is located at Kiviruukinkatu 2, in Kivenlahti, Espoo. The Park & Ride facility has 650 parking spaces, and 22 charging stations for electric cars. Solar panels installed on the roof of the building will generate electricity for the facility’s own consumption. The peak output will be 100 kWp. Construction of the Kivenlahti Park & Ride facility began in November 2021 and was carried out by Fira Oy.

Operated by EuroPark Finland Oy, the parking facility will be open 24/7. The cost of parking in the facility will be €2/12 hours, and €1 for each additional hour. More information on how parking fees are paid can be found on the info boards at the facility and on HSL’s website as of the opening day. HSL’s website also contains information on the locations, number of parking spots, prices and opening hours of all the Park & Ride areas. The payment methods of the different parking areas vary.

The Kivenlahti area is developing at the metro station’s west end

Users of the Park & Ride and metro commuters will enjoy even more convenience once Kivenlahti’s western entrance is opened to the public. Commuters currently access the Kivenlahti metro station from the entrance at Kivenlahdentori. So far, there are 98 parking spots close to the entrance. The metro station’s second entrance will be opened once construction in the area around the entrance is completed.

“New housing is being built in the area around the Kivenlahti metro station, and the area is becoming denser. A new business centre that will also house the Laurea University of Applied Sciences will be built on the new street Höyrylaivantie, which runs parallel to Länsiväylä. Kivenlahti metro station’s second entrance will be connected to the future business centre. The goal is for the business centre to be completed in autumn 2025, but a more accurate schedule can be expected once the contractual arrangements concerning moving the parking locations in the area are finalised,” says Project Director Hilkka Julkunen of the City of Espoo.

Read more about the evolving Kivenlahti area on the City of Espoo’s article: “Metro to bring new residents, jobs, services and educational institutions to Kivenlahti – Kiviruukki to grow into a unique bio- and circular economy innovation cluster”.

Kiinteistö Oy Kivenlahden liityntäpysäköinti is one of Länsimetro Oy’s subsidiaries. The owner’s task is to arrange the operation of the Park & Ride facility, and maintain and develop the parking facilities to better serve users.

Sustainability highlighted in metro infrastructure ownership

The West Metro construction project ended in autumn 2022 and commuter traffic started up on the Matinkylä–Kivenlahti section in December. After the construction project ended, the focus of Länsimetro’s operations shifted from construction to metro infrastructure ownership.

“The transition from construction to ownership has required, for instance, change management and a clarification of the shared direction. Länsimetro Oy operates behind the public transport operators as the expert organisation for owning and developing the metro infrastructure and uses its expertise to ensure that the metro is a successful, safe and attractive form of transport,” says Länsimetro Oy’s CEO Ville Saksi.

Länsimetro is the owner of the modern metro infrastructure that will stand the test of time. Länsimetro owns nearly 50% of the Helsinki region’s metro line kilometres: the 21-kilometre rail line section from Ruoholahti in Helsinki to Kivenlahti in Espoo, 13 metro stations, an underground metro depot and the technical systems. In addition, Länsimetro owns the infrastructure that serves feeder traffic, for instance, the park & ride facilities and bus terminals.

Länsimetro ensures that the metro infrastructure in its ownership is maintained and developed wisely in terms of the life cycle to guarantee that the infrastructure functions well and safely long into the future. As the owner of the metro infrastructure, Länsimetro Oy contributes to ensuring that the metro remains an attractive transport option and serves customers for decades to come.

“As a responsible and cost-aware metro infrastructure owner, Länsimetro ensures that the metro infrastructure is in good condition and safe throughout its life cycle. Our task is to ensure that the maintenance and servicing services for the metro infrastructure are implemented throughout its life cycle in line with the set goals. We accentuate a proactive approach to infrastructure maintenance as surprising investment needs or repair backlog in metro infrastructure would not be in anyone’s interest,” says Maintenance Manager Juhani Penttilä, commenting on the tasks related to owning metro infrastructure.

Considering the environment and society was a key part of building the metro. Sustainability is also at the core of ownership and Länsimetro carries out long-standing work in the sphere of sustainability. We identify energy saving opportunities at our stations and in the infrastructure, for example.

“We want to continue to operate responsibly in tasks related to ownership, maintenance and development. This year, we will examine Länsimetro Oy’s operations through a sustainability lens and create a sustainability programme that cuts across all of the areas of our company’s operations. The objective is to encapsulate the sustainability aspects of our operations and help us identify improvement areas in metro infrastructure ownership,” says Director of Administration Mari Mannila.

Länsimetro’s Matinkylä–Kivenlahti project comes in EUR 100 million under budget

Commuter traffic on the Matinkylä–Kivenlahti section started in December 2022.

The final cost estimate for the construction of the second phase of the West Metro project, i.e. the Matinkylä–Kivenlahti section, is EUR 1,042–1,050 million. The forecast is approximately EUR 100 million, i.e. 9%, less than the estimated cost (EUR 1,159 €M) in the project plan that was updated in 2018. In addition, the project’s financing costs were less than half the amount estimated in the project plan, and these savings will also largely be reflected in the metro’s future annual financing costs.

–The most significant reasons behind the project being completed according to the set targets were reliable cost data obtained from the Ruoholahti–Matinkylä project, strictly controlling the overall project and experienced professionals. The situation management model, a.k.a. war room concept, was an important tool for putting the organisation’s competence and knowledge into use. Cost targets cannot be reached if the targets set for the project’s scope, quality and schedule are not achieved. Successful projects are always the result of successful teamwork, stresses Länsimetro Oy’s CFO Matias Johansson.

The project plan that was drawn up in 2012 for the Matinkylä–Kivenlahti section was adjusted and supplemented in 2018, after the completion of the first phase of the West Metro project, i.e. the Ruoholahti–Matinkylä section. Commuter traffic on the first phase began in November 2017. As the outcome of the first phase, up-to-date information was obtained on the technical requirements and actual costs of building the underground metro, and this information was applied in the second phase of the project. In connection with the updated project plan, the cost estimate increased from EUR 801 million to EUR 1 159 million. The main reasons for the cost adjustments included a change in the surface areas of the stations, adjusted construction costs, a change in how the Espoonlahti bus terminal would be implemented, networking of the stations, extension of the Kivenlahti turnaround track, the addition of a firefighting shaft in Finnoo, reinforcing of the client organisation and schedule changes.

Commuter traffic on the Matinkylä–Kivenlahti section started in December

When the project plan was updated, the schedule was also adjusted: the target was set for the project to be completed in 2023. The Matinkylä–Kivenlahti section was opened to the public earlier than planned, on 3 December 2022. The construction contracts for the stations and the rail line wrapped up in May 2022, after which the test runs continued until September.

– Completion of the Matinkylä–Kivenlahti project in accordance with the set cost and schedule targets was possible thanks to the project’s effective operating methods and close co-operation, not to mention the project organisation’s strong competence and experience. The project’s organisational model and operating and management methods were developed at the start of the second phase’s construction, sums up Länsimetro Oy’s CEO, Ville Saksi.

The project comprised the Matinkylä–Kivenlahti section’s 7 kilometres of rail section, 5 metro stations, an underground depot and the construction of park & ride facilities at Kivenlahti, Kaitaa and Finnoo. The Kivenlahti park & ride facility was recently completed and will be opened to the public at the start of April. The full and final costs of the Matinkylä–Kivenlahti section will only be known once all the work included in the project plan is completed.

Länsimetro Oy is the owner of the modern metro infrastructure

Länsimetro Oy has now shifted the focus of its operations from the construction project to duties related to metro infrastructure ownership. Länsimetro Oy’s mission is to take care of the metro infrastructure throughout its life cycle to ensure that it functions well and safely long into the future.

The Helsinki region’s metro line is the backbone of west-east public transport. Länsimetro owns nearly 50% of the Helsinki region’s metro line kilometres: the 21-kilometre rail line section from Ruoholahti in Helsinki to Kivenlahti in Espoo, 13 metro stations, an underground metro depot and all the related technical systems. Länsimetro also owns the infrastructure that serves feeder traffic, for instance, the park & ride facilities and bus terminals. Länsimetro Oy is a limited liability company jointly owned by the cities of Espoo and Helsinki.

The busiest stations on weekdays on Länsimetro’s section in 2022 were Matinkylä (20,700 users/day), Lauttasaari (16,400 users/day) and Tapiola (14,200 users/day) (Source in Finnish https://kaupunkiliikenne.fi/liikennointi/metrolla/metroasemien-kayttajamaarat/ ). In 2022, the metro had 70 million commuters.

Further information

  • Ville Saksi, CEO of Länsimetro Oy, tel. +358 (0) 40 823 2086
  • Matias Johansson, CFO of Länsimetro Oy, tel. +358 (0) 40 590 0313
  • Marianne Partanen, Communications Manager, Länsimetro Oy, tel. +358 (0) 43 825 9607