FINLAND: The cabinet is expected to give approval shortly for the planned Ring Rail Line which will provide a link between the capital's main station and Helsinki-Vantaa airport.
Tenders will be called in mid-2009, with completion scheduled for early 2014 at a cost of €512m. The state budget has allocated €374m to the project, while the city of Vantaa has made provision for €138m.
The 18 km of new line will form a loop joining the end of the Martinlaakso commuter branch with the main Helsinki to Lahti route, via an 8·1 km tunnel. There will be five stations, with passive provision for a further three. A 10 min interval peak service is planned, with trains running at up to 120 km/h to give a 30 min journey from city centre to airport.
