The Norwegian Railway Agency published its plan for the organization of train traffic in the coming years.
Train traffic in Turku has been in great turmoil since last summer, when the service between Turku and Helsinki was diverted to go to Kupitta station. The reason is the railway project of the Railway Agency, during which a double track will be built between Turku Central Railway Station and Kupitta and the railway yard area of the railway station will be improved.
However, there is no turning back. The Finnish Railways Agency announced on Monday that the new passenger platforms will be located in the area between Braahenkatu and Ajurinkatu and that access to them will be via the Logomo bridge.
The Logomo Bridge is a pedestrian bridge of approximately 140 meters which opened to the public in November 2021. The bridge’s completion was delayed for several years, and ended up costing 21.6 million euros instead of the original five million euros.
Overview picture of the stair and lift connections between the new platforms and the Logomo bridge. Photo: Arco Architecture Company Oy
The former station building will therefore not be in use. Last week it was reported that VR had decided to drop 25 passenger stations over the next few years. These also include Turku Central Railway Station and Kupitta Station.
Foundation work for lift and stair connections and new platforms on the Logomo bridge will begin in the summer of 2023. After the completion of the foundation work, the construction of the steel frame of the lift and stairs will begin. In total, three new lifts and stairs to the new central platforms on the bridge will be built.
The new passenger platforms 1–3 will be commissioned in July 2024, and platforms 4–6 in October 2025.
The new passenger platforms 1–3 will be commissioned in July 2024, and platforms 4–6 will be commissioned in October 2025.
According to the Finnish Railway Agency, when train traffic from Helsinki returns to Turku station at the end of 2024, the intention is to organize temporary station services as far as possible in connection with the Logomo bridge. Before the completion of temporary station services, trains wait for passengers in the platform area long before the departure of the train.
Work on the plan related to station services is going on. With regard to station services, connection parking of cars and bicycles and the connection of rail traffic to other public transport such as Föl’s buses are taken into account, project manager of the Norwegian Railways Agency Erkki Mäkelä said in the press release.
Ghat area will look like this. Overview picture. Photo: Sweco
In Turku there are plans to build a new Mtkekaskus, which will be a combined terminal for public transport and will be located at the end of the Aninkisten Bridge. It will be completed in 2029 at the earliest, until then the Logomo Bridge will serve as a temporary solution.
