The price of the new rail connection was estimated at 5.3 billion euros, and the cost of the current renovation was slightly less than one billion euros. The runway, a long-distance train connection from Pasila via Helsinki-Vantaa to Kerava, was included in the costs of the new link as a prerequisite for the infrastructure project.
The survey was commissioned by the Hämee liitto, an expert and development organization serving the Kanta-Häme province. Municipalities like Hämeenlinna and Riihimäki have been enthusiastic about the disputed connection, because the express trains would not stop at their stations.
Pasi HolmFCG’s leading expert told Helsingin Sanomat on Tuesday that the study was based on publicly available data, which was also used in the Ministry of Finance’s recent profitability study.
“The most important takeaway from the study is that about half of the passengers between Helsinki and Tampere would continue on the main line and half on the new straight,” he said. said.
Suomirata Oy, which promotes the high-speed connection between Tampere and Helsinki, has estimated that Pikayhtnis will attract significantly more passengers.
“Even if a direct line were built, more than half of the passengers would still come to the main line,” Holm answered. “They would choose the main line because passengers from Helsinki would continue to want to stay away from intermediate stations, just as passengers from intermediate stations travel to Helsinki and Tampere.”
The study found that almost two-thirds (64%) of passengers currently start or end their work journey at an intermediate station, while 36 percent travel or end in Helsinki, Tampere or Vantaa.
Lauri LylyTampere’s representative in Suomirata planning, reminded YLE on Tuesday that the main line must be completely renovated by the end of the decade, but even the renovation will not produce the necessary additional capacity.
“We need more rails between Helsinki and Tampere,” he said. “Our strategic goal is to quickly get from Tampere to Helsinki via Helsinki-Vantaa. We haven’t thought about this goal at all.”
The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Transport and Communications found in their study in January that each of the three major rail infrastructure projects underway in the country would have a huge price tag and a huge carbon footprint.
Aleksi Teivainen – HT
Source: The Nordic Page