The municipal council of Vihti has voted to approve its participation in the Western Rail Link project, a major step forward for the long-planned Helsinki-Turku high-speed connection. The decision, made during a council meeting on Monday evening, commits the municipality to a financing pledge of up to 28 million euros. This represents a 2.12 percent share of the total municipal financing commitments for the project's first phase. Vihti's approval means half of the transit municipalities along the proposed route have now formally backed the initiative, bringing the so-called 'Hour Train' one step closer to reality. The project aims to slash travel times, with a journey from Vihti to Helsinki estimated to take just 30 minutes upon completion.
The Western Rail Link, or Länsirata, is a pivotal national infrastructure plan designed to connect the capital region with Southwest Finland. The total cost estimate for the first construction phase stands at 1.32 billion euros, with funding split between the Finnish state, covering 69.7 percent, and participating municipalities, responsible for the remaining 30.3 percent. For the plan to proceed, every municipality the rail line passes through must ratify a shareholder agreement and a corresponding financial commitment. The city councils of Turku and Espoo have already given their consent, setting a positive precedent for the remaining votes.
However, the path forward is not yet guaranteed. The city board of Kirkkonummi decided on Monday to recommend that its council reject the shareholder agreement. The Kirkkonummi council is scheduled to debate and vote on this recommendation next week. The councils of Salo and Lohja are also set to deliberate on the project during December. This creates a tense political landscape for the final quarter of the year, as a single municipality's rejection could derail the entire timetable. The project's start of construction is conditional on unanimous municipal approval, with an ambitious target to begin work in 2027.
The political stakes are high, reflecting broader tensions between local autonomy and national strategic goals. Municipal councils must weigh substantial long-term investments against the promised benefits of improved connectivity and regional development. In Vihti, officials highlighted the project's potential to enhance transport links and spur growth around the planned Vihti-Nummelan station area. The decision demonstrates a calculated bet on future economic returns, but it also places pressure on neighboring councils. If Kirkkonummi follows its board's advice and votes no, it would force a major reassessment of the project's financing and route, potentially causing years of delay. The coming weeks will be a critical test of Finland's ability to execute large-scale, multi-municipality infrastructure projects essential for its economic geography and EU-cohesion goals.