The Port of Helsinki will be concentrating all of the passenger and car ferry traffic to Tallinn to West Harbour. At the same time, the volume of traffic and passengers will increase in West Harbour. This will be accommodated by building a harbour tunnel for vehicle traffic between Länsiväylä and West Harbour. The tunnel, approximately two kilometres in length, is expected to be completed in the early 2030s.

The harbour tunnel will ensure the accessibility of West Harbour and undisturbed traffic in the area. The tunnel will also improve the predictability and flow of traffic.

The harbour tunnel will move all of the heavy traffic in West Harbour away from the street network, which will alleviate some of the traffic congestion associated with the harbour. The tunnel will also reduce traffic noise in the Jätkäsaari district and improve traffic safety in the area. At the same time, the tunnel will improve air quality throughout Jätkäsaari.

Harbour tunnel to also reduce port-related traffic in city centre

The harbour tunnel will also have an indirect impact on traffic in Helsinki city centre. When ship traffic to Tallinn is moved from Katajanokka Harbour to West Harbour, traffic associated with the harbour will be reduced by roughly 75% in Helsinki city centre. This is because the number of vehicles is considerably higher on ships bound for Tallinn than on ships sailing for Stockholm.

With the new harbour tunnel, the City of Helsinki will be able to develop South Harbour into an area that better serves the city’s residents with its coastal routes and architecture and design museum. This will be possible when port operations are transferred from South Harbour to other port areas.

After completion, the harbour tunnel will benefit the City and residents of Helsinki immensely. The tunnel is a major construction project and its planning is currently under way. The tunnel construction site extends to the edge of Lapinlahti park to the north of the tunnel. This is why the port places particular emphasis on safeguarding the living conditions of plants and animals in the park and preserving the scenic and cultural-historical values of the park in the planning phase. You can read more about the Port’s measures to mitigate environmental impacts here.

The harbour tunnel will take a total of approximately five years to build. The excavation is estimated to take three years. According to the current estimate, the tunnel will enter into service in 2032.