Turku Tramway

The tramway is a comprehensive urban development project that will determine the development of Turku and the urban region for decades to come. The tramway brings predictability and strengthens confidence in the long-term development of the Turku region.

The Turku tramway is connected to important strategic goals and projects for the city, such as the Turku Science Park, the Development of the City Center, Maritime, and the Turku One Hour Train. It realizes the city's climate goals by changing the distribution of modes of transportation and compacting the urban structure.

The tramway is part of the public transport quality corridor network of the general plan and thus a central part of the Turku and Turku region transport system.

 

Decision-making progress and next phases

The City Board approved that the tramway project is ready to move on to the implementation planning of the Harbour–Varissuo tramway.

Based on the statements, additions can be made to the general plan before the city borad’s decision-making in the autumn 2023 regarding the implementation planning decision. Then the route of the tramway will also be decided.The city council makes the final investment decision based on the implementation plan for the tramway, more detailed impact assessments and a confirmed cost estimate. Alongside the implementation plans, the necessary zoning plan changes and street plans are prepared. According to the current estimate, the investment decision could be scheduled for the end of 2025.

Harbour–Varissuo tramway

The central content of reports and impact assessments

In the general plan, the tramway has been compared to a trunk bus system. According to estimates, the tramway meets four of the five set goals better than the trunk bus, i.e. in terms of the city's competitiveness, growth and attractiveness, sustainable urban structure, smooth transport system and attractive public transport, as well as the comfort and well-being of the city's residents.

The tramway is a strategic investment for the future that accelerates urban development. The tramway brings predictability and strengthens confidence in the long-term development of the Turku region. In Tampere, for example, urban development along the tramway has been faster than expected. If the additional growth brought by the Harbour-Varissuo tramway in Turku would be 10,000–15,000 inhabitants, the tramway could be more profitable from the point of view of the municipal economy. The calculations will be more detailed in the next stages of the design.

As a route for the Harbour–Varissuo tramway, a 12 kilometer line is approved that runs from Harbour via Humalistonkatu to Market Square and ends in Varissuo at Kraatarinkatu. The tram depot will be planned for Iso-Heikkilä at the end of Kiertotähdentie.

 

More conceptual drawings can be found on the tramway plans and reports page.

The high-resolution conceptual drawings intended for use by the media are available in the ePressi service.