Overview
Pasila Railway Station is the second busiest railway station in Finland. On weekdays, more than a thousand trains operate via this station. At peak hour, between 8:00 and 9:00 in the morning, more than 70 trains arrive at or depart from the station. The effectiveness of the railway network in this area strongly affects how smoothly trains run throughout the whole country.
It is important that railway traffic is continually developed. The number of residents in the Helsinki Region is estimated to increase by 400,000 people in the next few decades. In 2035, it is estimated that Pasila Railway Station will be used by about 100,000 train passengers daily.
A new track and station platform are under construction in Pasila. The new 1.5-kilometre track section will significantly improve train traffic on the main line. The track project is carried out on the same worksite as the new centre - Tripla, emerging in Central Pasila. The construction work commenced in autumn 2015 with the pilling of the bridges in connection to Pasila Railway Station. The new track will be opened to traffic in 2019 and will be fully utilised in 2020.
The additional track will constitute two tracks in each direction for both long-distance train traffic and for commuter trains to Riihimäki and Lahti. This will ensure a smooth traffic flow and enable trains to run at more frequent intervals. Because train operations in Pasila affect train traffic in the whole country, improved punctuality of passenger trains will consequently reduce the number of disruptions in freight traffic. Moreover, railway traffic is an environmentally friendly and efficient mode of public transport. The additional western track will be the last track and platform that Pasila can accommodate. After that, all space above ground will be occupied.
The construction work will be carried out in two phases. In the first phase, 2015-2017, the bridge structures in connection with Pasila Railway Station will be built. In the second phase, 2016-2020, the bridge structures and retaining walls of the whole railway section will be built.
The actual rail construction work − such as the building of safety devices, electrification and the railway superstructure − will commence in 2017.
In order to enable flexible construction of the additional track, a voltage de-energising system will be built at Pasila Railway Station. In practice, this means that the contact wires over certain tracks will be de-energised to enable work under the contact wires. Furthermore, turnout arrangements will be made on the main line, to enable smoother use of the tracks in the station area.
The construction of Tripla also includes work on streets and residential buildings, as well as the reorganising of public transport lines. Buses and trams will share the terminal area, which will be built in front of the station.
In addition to the construction of the additional track, the Finnish Transport Agency will also participate in, to name a few, the conversion of the station square, the building of park-and-ride bicycle facilities, and the construction costs for the areas, which, thanks to the additional track, will be linked to public transport.