The first light rail line operating between Helsinki and Espoo started operating on Saturday morning with the first service departing from the Aalto University station in Espoo for Itäkeskus in Helsinki.
The event started with a speech by Espoo Mayor Jukka Mäkelä (NCP). The opening ceremony in Otaniemi also featured speeches by Helsinki Region Transport Authority (HSL) CEO Mika Nykänen and Helsinki Deputy Mayor for Urban Environment Anni Sinnemäki (Green).
Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP) and Minister of the Environment and Climate Kai Mykkänen (NCP) also appeared at the event.
The light rail network, or tramway, is about 25 kilometres long and runs from Keilaniemi in Espoo to Itäkeskus in Helsinki.
It runs at an average speed of 25 kilometres per hour, compared to other Helsinki trams that run at an average speed of 14.5 kilometres per hour. The light rail system's top speed is 70 kilometres per hour.
Due to its high speed, some of the first passengers were surprised by how smooth the ride felt.
"It's surprisingly quiet, comfortable to travel," said Mika Kähkönen from Espoo, who was among the first passengers onboard.
The new light rail network also means that Espoo joins Helsinki and Tampere as the three Finnish municipalities with tram networks. In the past, the cities of Turku and Viipuri (now the Russian city of Vyborg) also had tram systems, but they have since been decommissioned.
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