HSL plans semi-automated trains with testing underway between Kouvola and Hamina

Helsinki Regional Transport (HSL) is preparing to introduce semi-automated commuter trains by 2035, with tests already in progress on the Kouvola–Hamina rail section, reports Finnish public broadcaster Yle.

The system would allow trains to operate with shorter intervals—reducing the current five-minute gap to just two and a half minutes—while a driver remains onboard to oversee safety and handle exceptions. Automation would also improve energy efficiency, potentially saving millions of euros annually by enabling smoother, more predictable acceleration and braking based on real-time traffic data.

“With the current system, we can plan for about five-minute intervals, but in the future, we could achieve two and a half minutes,” said Tuomo Lankinen, head of HSL’s rail unit. He noted that while no final decision has been made, the technology could be deployed by 2035, aligning with a mandatory upgrade of Finland’s train control systems.

Testing is currently underway on a 19-kilometre stretch between Kotka’s Juurikorpi and Hamina, where HSL’s Sm5 commuter trains are equipped with the new system. Passengers would not notice the difference between automated and manual driving, according to Johanna Kuismin, project manager at Fintraffic’s Digirail. The upgrade is part of an EU-wide shift to radio-based train control, replacing older infrastructure by the 2030s.

The first section of the new system is set to launch between Tampere’s Lielahti and Pori’s Mäntyluoto in 2029. Beyond efficiency gains, automation aims to reduce human error by supporting driver ergonomics and alertness.