Historic railway tunnel in Lievestuore garners significant bidding interest in online auction

In Lievestuore, located in Central Finland’s Laukaa, the historic Pönttövuori railway tunnel has attracted significant interest from potential buyers. Built over a century ago and measuring more than a kilometer in length, the tunnel was put up for sale through an online auction organized by the State’s Senate Properties. The auction began in September, with around twenty bidders submitting offers by the deadline.

Even after the official end of the auction, which is timed to close either at the designated hour or three minutes following the last bid, two buyers continued to compete for the tunnel. The highest bid of €299,000 was made two and a half hours past the original closing time, while the initial starting price was only €12,000. Earlier that day, the leading offer was just €50,000.

Päivi Pulkkinen, a specialist from Senate Properties responsible for the sale, expressed satisfaction with the volume of bids, noting the unique nature of the property made it difficult to predict the level of interest. She remarked that it is unlikely another similar sale will occur in her career.

Pulkkinen indicated that further negotiations could progress rapidly based on the received offers. “Next, we will contact the bidder to discuss their hopes and plans, determining how quickly we can finalize the sale,” she added. The final decision regarding the sale will rest with the board of Senate Properties.

Trains last ran through the tunnel in 1995, and the railway tracks have since been removed. A video showcasing the interior of the century-old tunnel is also available.