Transportation

Local

The metro line is red, National Rail gray; the rest are tram lines. (click for bigger version)

Helsinki's transportation network is quite functional compared to similar US cities', something true for most major

European cities. There is a bus system that goes just about everywhere in the metro area, providing local-level

transport within areas. There is also a fairly complex tram system which connects the central city to its outer layers

and the inner suburbs. Finally, Helsinki opened a metro line in 1983, going from the central city to the eastern

suburbs. There is now talk of connecting it to the western suburbs, where much of Helsinki's metro population

lives. The national rail system also has several commuter lines in the metro area, as well as the central Helsinki

station, making connections to the rest of Finland easy.

The Rest of the World

Helsinki position as a trading and transportation center remains a major part of the city's geography. It has a

modern international airport with connections to most major world cities. The airport's traffic has been increasing

for many years, with takeoffs and landings every 90 seconds now. This is partially because Finland is used by many

as a transition point entering Russia; its status as a western country means that some prefer to use Finnair to get

to Russia, or they want to stopover en route to enjoy western comforts again. The other reason is because the

easiest way to fly from Europe to Asia is over the north pole, and Helsinki is perfectly situated as a stop for those

flights. Helsinki's port is the second largest of the Nordic countries, concentrating mainly on containers and

passengers. Ferry traffic between Finland and other Baltic countries accounts for much of this. The port also

generates traffic as a transshipment point for Russia. Finally, Finland's native shipbuilding industry

increases traffic at the harbor.