Construction of the west metro is progressing. With the exception of the Koivusaari station, all stations are currently surrounded by the ongoing construction projects of other operators. These projects will continue even after the metro line is opened.
System tests and operational trials are under way. The last phase will be a joint test run. The joint test run will ensure that the metro is safe to use and that all systems function together. In addition to stations, the joint test run will test the functioning of adjacent stations and the metro line as a whole. System operations will be trialled using several emergency drills. Particular attention will be paid to restoring systems to normal after incidents. Testing will take several days. The joint test run will include the suppliers of various systems, contractors and the emergency services if necessary. The situation will be monitored on site and in the Herttoniemi metro control room, where the metro’s operations and traffic are overseen.
The opening schedule for the metro will be specified in October after sufficient tests have been performed
The Helsinki City Rescue Department and the Länsi-Uusimaa Rescue Department will approve the security systems, based on the test results. After this, the building authorities of Helsinki and Espoo are free to approve the use of the stations and the rail tunnels. Helsinki City Transport (HKL) will ensure that the track engineering security systems, including semaphore systems and indicators, are working properly. According to the current estimate, the metro will be ready for passenger traffic by January 2017 at the latest.
Helsinki Region Transport (HSL) will decide when passenger traffic begins and when feeder bus lines start operating.