Colas secures the first phase of the western Helsinki light rail project, leading the selected alliance
The alliance composed by Destia, the Finnish subsidiary of Colas, and its alliance partners have started construction works of the West-Helsinki Light Rail at the end of May. Destia has received the notice to proceed for the first phase of the project, valued at approximately €30 million*.
The future tram line 14 linking the city centre to the residential district of Kannelmäki, located in the north-west of the capital and integrated into the urban transport network. The project represents an investment of approximately €340 million euros, of which the alliance led by Destia accounts for an estimated 187 million euros. The project is structured in several successive phases, the first of which is now being launched.
The programme includes the construction of the rail infrastructure as well as a broader urban transformation. This involves the redevelopment of main corridors into urban boulevards, the enhancement of public spaces, and the development of cycling infrastructure to strengthen the role of sustainable mobility across the metropolitan area.
Works began at the end of May in the initial areas, before being progressively extended from late June or early July.
The Infrastructure programme, which oversees implementation, is commissioned by the City of Helsinki, the regional transport authority, and the environmental authority. It is being delivered under an alliance comprising the local companies YIT Infra Oy, NRC Group Finland Oy, Destia Oy, Sweco Finland Oy, WSP Finland Oy, and Sitowise Oy.
"The journey towards the client’s vision – the world’s best and most responsible urban development – continues as the West-Helsinki Light Rail moves into the implementation phase. This is a good point to continue the joint development path with the other alliance partners", explains Heikki Haasmaa, CEO of Destia.
"This project fully demonstrates our ability to support complex large-scale urban transport projects. As the key partner of the alliance, we are mobilising our expertise to ensure the controlled delivery of the works and to address the metropolitan area’s sustainable mobility challenges", adds Francis Grass, Managing Director of EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) and Specialties at Colas.
A major player in transport infrastructure in Finland, Destia is involved in several major rail and tram projects in the Helsinki region, including the western section of the Vantaa tramway and the Espoo urban rail line, contributing to the development of sustainable mobility solutions at metropolitan scale.
* Backlog as of May 2026
