FINLAND: Contracts have been awarded for the replacement of the Helsinki metro’s signalling and communications systems by the end of the decade. This forms part of a programme to increase the level of automation, improve reliability and shorten headways to support expected growth in ridership.
The METKA (Metro Capacity & Reliability Improvement Project) programme covering the 43 km two-line network is being undertaken by metropolitan area transport operator Kaupunkiliikenne, city transport operator HKL, regional transport authority HSL and Espoo extension owner Länsimetro.
The contractors were selected through an evaluation of quality rankings and the combined delivery and life-cycle costs over the next 15 years. ‘Together with our expert partners, we can ensure that the metro will continue to run safely and reliably, while enabling its capacity to increase’, said METKA Project Director Heikki Viika on January 21.
Contract awards
CAF has been awarded a contract worth more than €60m to replace the existing signalling with its Optio communications-based train control. This will support Grade-of-Automation 2 attended automatic operation, with GoA3 unattended reversing at the ends of the lines. The Spanish company said the contract was a ‘landmark’ for its work in the metro automation sector, following the award of a contract for the Napoli metro Line 10 project at the end of 2025.
The Helsinki contract includes changes to the control centre as well as retrofitting CBTC to the existing fleet of CAF M300 trainsets. The train cabs were designed for temporary use pending a planned switch to unattended operation, but a previous automation project was stopped after running into mounting technical difficulties.
Rail and industrial safety systems supplier Mipro has been selected to design and implement an interface between the CBTC and radio network and the existing interlockings which it previously supplied. ‘The agreement represents a significant step in the development of Mipro’s metro automation system’, said Business Director Jari Pylvänen.
Telecoms company Telia Finland has been selected to provide a high-availability private 5G mobile network to provide uninterrupted communication between the control and monitoring systems. This will be designed to ensure operation in exceptional and disruptive situations, and to accommodate future requirements including growing cybersecurity challenges.
‘We are very proud of the opportunity to be involved in such a significant public transport project’, said Olli Pirttijärvi, Senior Vice-President, Corporate Operations at Telia. ‘Uninterrupted operation of the metro is crucial in the everyday life of the Helsinki metropolitan area. Telia plays a key role in maintaining society’s critical infrastructure, and we will bring our strong network expertise, reliability and the highest level of security to the project.’
