Clear and understandable signage often provides tourists and those who travel occasionally with invaluable information. Tourists and occasional travelers, in particular, will benefit from the improved signage and instructional posters when using the Metro.
As part of our improvement work, we have redesigned the station posters featuring instructions on how to use the Metro. We decided to make the new posters more visual so that they would be easier to understand. We also improved the language used on the posters, making the instructions even clearer and more unambiguous.
We are currently in the process of replacing the old posters with one ones, but you can already find the new posters at the Central Railway Station, Hakaniemi, Herttoniemi and Itäkeskus Metro Stations.
Improvements based on passenger feedback
In order to make the changes as cost-effective as possible, we always aim to develop wall and ceiling signs in connection with major traffic changes and station renovations. For example, during the fire safety project at the Central Railway Station, we created a completely new sign for the station in collaboration with Metropolitan Area Transport Ltd. Designed especially for occasional travelers, the new sign was installed in December 2024.
The new sign in the platform area indicates more clearly which side of the platform you should head to in order to travel in the right direction. The previous signs only featured the end stations. The new sign was designed based on feedback from our customers and was inspired by other metro systems in major cities, where similar signs can be found.
”Since passengers provide us with important feedback on how different signs work in practice, it is important that we actively listen to our customers. For instance, based on this feedback, we know that the signage displayed at stations can play a significant role in helping passengers. Good signage may even save the whole travel experience,” says Anton Aaltonen, Information Planner at HSL.
Our customers have expressed through feedback and surveys that the direction in which the Metro travels should be displayed more clearly through signage. This is something that we took into account when designing the new sign at the Central Railway Station Metro Station.
We improve signage regularly
The purpose of instructions and signage is to make using public transport as straightforward as possible. This is why they must be kept up to date and improved regularly.
In recent years, we have conducted several experiments involving signage with various partners. For instance, based on customer requests, we have tested signs that instruct passengers to let others exit first before boarding the Metro. We have also tried using signs that indicate the exact point where the Metro cars stop on the longer platforms.
In addition to the Metro, we also improved the signage on the Suomenlinna ferry pier at the Market Square in the summer of 2024. Similar to the new signage at Metro stations, the signage at the ferry pier was also improved to make travelling easier especially for occasional travelers and tourists.
Our next step is to improve the maps of metro and train stations and of the surrounding areas.