Helsinki has unveiled a new tram connection linking the city centre with the eastern island district of Laajasalo, crossing three newly built bridges over the Baltic Sea. The local transport authority has described it as the world’s most beautiful tram route.
Finland has added a new attraction to its public transport network with the opening of the Kruunusillat (Crown Bridges) project in Helsinki.
The new connection, inaugurated on 7 November, links the Finnish capital’s city centre with Laajasalo, an island suburb to the east. The route runs across three newly constructed bridges spanning sections of the Baltic Sea.
The project is designed primarily to serve newly developed residential areas in Laajasalo and provide an alternative to existing, heavily congested connections with the city centre.
“The connection across the sea permanently brings the area closer to the city,” Helsinki Mayor Daniel Sazonov said at the opening ceremony.
The bridges will accommodate trams, cyclists and pedestrians, but private cars will not be allowed to use them.
The centrepiece of the project is the Kruunuvuori Bridge, which stretches 1,191 metres, making it Finland’s longest bridge. Its 135-metre-high supporting pylon is also the tallest of its kind in the country for a cable-stayed bridge.
The project has also been completed ahead of schedule. Originally expected to open in 2027, the new connection became operational earlier than planned, marking an unusual success for a major public infrastructure project.
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