Kerava–Lahti railway line


The Kerava–Lahti railway line or Lahden oikorata is a railway line in southern Finland between the towns of Kerava and Lahti, which opened on 3 September 2006.

History

The construction of the Kerava–Lahti railway line took four years and cost €331 million. At the time it was the first new passenger railway to be opened in Finland since completion of the Jämsänkoski–Jyväskylä line in 1977, reducing the journey time between Kerava and Lahti by 26 kilometres. Funding was provided by the Finnish government and the European Union, with the route forming part of the EU's "Nordic Triangle" TEN-T strategic transport route.

Services

The line is used as a shortcut for services from Helsinki to eastern Finnish cities including Kouvola, Kuopio and Joensuu, which all used the line to Riihimäki prior to the construction of the Kerava–Lahti line. The Z train of the Helsinki commuter rail also uses the line.

Future

Proposals exist to build a similar direct railway line from Helsinki Central to Kouvola via Helsinki Airport and Porvoo, which would handle traffic to eastern Finnish cities such as Kuopio, Joensuu, Lappeenranta and Mikkeli, providing a shorter journey time between Helsinki and these cities than currently offered by the Kerava-Lahti line.

Stations