Helsinki metro authority halts €250 million train procurement over unclear criteria

The Helsinki region’s public transport agency, Kaupunkiliikenne, has suspended a €250 million tender for new metro trains due to ambiguous or erroneous evaluation criteria in the pre-qualification phase.

According to Heidi Heikkilä, head of rolling stock services at Kaupunkiliikenne, the agency is refining the pre-selection criteria to ensure a “broad, high-quality, and fair competition.” The decision was made before any supplier applications were received or formal bids invited.

The procurement aims to replace the oldest metro trains in service—the M100 and M200 series, some dating back to 1977—with 25 new M400 units by 2032. The corrected tender process will relaunch shortly, with no expected delay to the project timeline.

Kaupunkiliikenne emphasized that halting the process at this stage is rare but underscores the city’s commitment to transparency. The agency had conducted seven rounds of market dialogue with potential suppliers before identifying the issues.

Lessons from past disputes

The suspension follows a contentious 2025 tram procurement, where Czech manufacturer Škoda Transtech challenged the award to Swiss firm Stadler. Škoda’s appeal, alleging unmet mandatory requirements in Stadler’s bid, was rejected by the Market Court. Škoda has since sought leave to appeal to the Supreme Administrative Court and requested an injunction to halt the contract.

Heikkilä acknowledged that the tram dispute provided “significant experience in recent legal practices,” noting that procurement laws permit pauses to clarify ambiguous criteria. The metro tender’s pause, she said, reflects proactive risk management to avoid similar conflicts.

The original M100 series underwent major overhauls between 2004–2009, but their operational lifespan is nearing its end. The new trains are part of a long-term modernization plan for Helsinki’s metro system.