VR wins the first HSL commuter train traffic tender in history – The new operation contract lasts until 2031

VR Group Ltd has won the first tender for HSL commuter train traffic in history and will continue to operate HSL commuter train traffic until 2031. The decision on the winner was made by the Helsinki Region Transport’s (HSL) Board of Directors in its meeting on 5 May 2020. The contract period is 10 years and the tendered traffic begins in June 2021.  The contract includes HSL commuter traffic operation and rolling stock maintenance. The contract includes a three-year option.

"We are really pleased with the outcome of the tender and that we can continue to operate HSL commuter train traffic and perform rolling stock maintenance. This win is very important for our business. We are committed to further developing the services together with HSL and to ensuring a more customer-oriented, punctual and smoother commuter train traffic while increasing the popularity of public transport. Winning also means that we have proven our place as a competitive European railway operator, and we will certainly continue to grow through tenders. I would like to thank every VR employee for making this possible,” says Rolf Jansson, VR Group’s President and CEO. 

The contract of the commuter train traffic covers HSL's entire traffic on the Ring Rail Line, on the Coastal Railway from Helsinki to Siuntio and on the main line all the way to Kerava. This means more than seven million train traffic kilometres and more than 70 million journeys a year. 

Reliable, safe and high-quality commuter train traffic

Regarding the offers, both price and quality were evaluated. Traffic reliability, safety and customer satisfaction were the focal points of quality. During the contract period, quality is measured through, for example, punctuality, rolling stock cleanliness and customer surveys. 

VR's advantages are long experience and know-how in urban traffic in northern conditions, customer-oriented service development and the utilisation of data and digital tools. Thanks to these, VR was able to build a competitive, cost-effective and innovative offer that meets the needs of both HSL and commuter train passengers. 

“We know our commuter traffic customers and what's important to them: the smooth and punctual running of trains and safe travel in clean trains. We invest especially in these and also in meeting and helping customers. We built our offer piece by piece, eliminating everything unnecessary and, from the beginning, focusing on how we can further improve the quality of our services and guarantee an excellent customer experience during the new contract period. With the new contract, e.g. our customer service model on trains and at stations will be renewed, our operations will become more data-oriented, we will adopt a new real-time situational picture and renew train cleaning operations,” Jansson continues.  

The tendered traffic begins in June 2021.

HSL’s bulletin regarding the issue (in Finnish).