Vantaa tram project installs first tracks as heavy rails arrive from Austria

The first tram tracks for Vantaa’s new light rail system were laid on Monday morning in the Muura district, marking a key milestone in the project, reports Finnish public broadcaster Yle. The over-one-tonne rail sections, manufactured in Austria, completed a long journey by train, ship, and truck before arriving at the construction site.

Workers installed the initial 18-metre steel rails—each weighing just over a tonne—near Aviapolis train station at around 9 AM. The Muura area was selected as the starting point because its route runs through undeveloped land in Plootunkallio forest, unlike most of the tramline, which follows existing urban infrastructure.

“There’s a real sense of excitement—and relief—that everything went smoothly and safely,” said Mortaza Hashimi, technical lead for the tram project’s western alliance.

The tram route will eventually connect Helsinki’s Mellunmäki district to Vantaa’s Aviapolis, with a later decision pending on a separate stop at the airport. Construction will now expand in both directions: south toward Ring Road III and north toward the airport terminal.

The Austrian-made rails travelled by train to Germany, then by cargo ship to Turku, before being transported by flatbed trailer to a Vantaa storage depot and finally lifted into place by crane.