Shorter Metro trains and headways – New signposting at stations

The Metro will operate with more frequent headways from 15 August. At the same time, shorter Metro trains with four carriages will be introduced. New sign stickers indicating the train stopping locations are installed at Metro station in early August. The changes are made in preparation for the opening of the West Metro.

From 15 August, the Metro will run on the Ruoholahti–Vuosaari and Kamppi–Mellunmäki lines every five minutes at peak times Monday to Friday. On the shared section of route between Kamppi and Itäkeskus, the trains will run every 2.5 minutes. During weekday daytime and on Saturdays, the Metro will run between Ruoholahti and Itäkeskus every 3-4 minutes, on the eastern branches every 7.5 minutes. In the evening and on Sundays, the headways will be 5 minutes between Ruoholahti and Itäkeskus, on the eastern branches 10 minutes.

At peaks times, when the headways are 2.5 minutes, westbound trains from Mellunmäki turn around already at Kamppi. Passengers going from Mellunmäki to Ruoholahti can change trains at Kamppi. Outside peak times, westbound trains from Mellunmäki run to Ruoholahti as usual.

Thanks to the shorter headways, average waiting times at stations will shorten, but at the same time, delays caused, for example, by passengers running towards closing doors will be more likely than at present. To minimize delays, sign stickers indicating the train stopping locations are installed at the stations. The stickers are installed in the area where the trains no longer stop. The stickers will guide passengers to wait for the arriving train in the right place. In order to keep to the schedules, trains cannot wait for passengers waiting outside the stopping locations.

The first stickers were installed at Itäkeskus station on the night of Tuesday/Wednesday. In addition, door stickers will be put up to remind passengers not to delay the closing of the doors.

Works to upgrade the entire Metro signposting system will begin later in the autumn. The layout of signs will slightly change, but the main color of signs at Metro stations will be the familiar red-orange.

Some of HKL’s Metro drivers will be acting as “station hosts” at peak times at the busiest stations when the changes are introduced. The hosts will assist passengers, for example, to wait at the right location.

The West Metro will not open on 15 August as planned. However, the more frequent headways and shorter trains will be introduced as originally planned. In addition, the timetables of the eastern feeder services will change on 15 August.