The City of Turku is coordinating a two-year project to explore the possibilities of implementing commuter rail transport in Southwest Finland.

The municipalities along the railway lines have launched a two-year project called "Commuter trains in Southwest Finland", which aims to produce a concrete plan for the implementation of regional rail transport in Southwest Finland.

In addition to the City of Turku, the project involves Aura, Kaarina, Lieto, Loimaa, Masku, Mynämäki, Naantali, Paimio, Pöytyä, Raisio, Salo, Turku, Uusikaupunki and Vehmaa. In addition to the municipalities, the steering group of the project includes representatives of The Regional Council of Southwest Finland and the Turku Chamber of Commerce.

The short-distance train service from Turku would run to Uusikaupunki, Naantali, Tampere and Salo. If implemented, it would provide an important backbone for public transport throughout Southwest Finland.

The image shows a map view displaying all planned commuter train routes in Southwest Finland.

Background to the rail reform

The European Union requires Member States to put passenger rail transport purchased with public funds out to tender. In Finland, this change will come into force after 2030, when the current contract between the Ministry of Transport and Communications and VR for the purchase of transport services expires.
 
In the government programme, the reform is called the Rail Reform. Its aim is to open up the rail market and give regional authorities the opportunity to organise train services in their own areas. Traficom, the transport and communications agency, has studied different options for implementing the reform and compiled the evidence base for the study.
 

Passenger rail transport in transition

On 16 June 2025, the Council of State's Committee of Economic Ministers directed that the state will continue to finance the purchase of rail transport to the current extent. This means that there will be no state-funded passenger train services in Southwest Finland - with the exception of night trains.
 
Municipalities will, however, have the option of purchasing train services at their own expense and participating in a tender organised by the state. In this case, the level of service to be provided must be defined by the end of 2025.
 
Negotiations between municipalities and the state will start in early autumn 2025. Decisions on additional services can also be taken later, but they will be subject to a separate tender and the services could only start after 2031.

More information on this topic

Contact

Pauliina Forsman Specialist 044 7809299