Helsinki Central Station

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Helsinki Central railway station (Finnish: Helsingin rautatieasema, Swedish: Helsingfors järnvägsstation) is a widely recognised landmark in central Helsinki, Finland, and the focal point of public transport in the Greater Helsinki area. It serves as the point of origin for all trains in the local VR commuter rail network, as well as for a large proportion of long-distance trains in Finland. The station also hosts the Rautatientori metro station, which is the busiest station of the Helsinki Metro.

The station is mostly clad in Finnish granite, and its distinguishing features are its clock tower and the two pairs of statues holding the lamps on either side of the main entrance. Animated characters based on the statues have recently been featured in some major advertising campaigns by Finland's government-owned railway operator VR.

The station is used by approximately 200,000 passengers per day, making it Finland's most-visited building.

History

The first railway station in Helsinki was built in 1860, as Finland's first railway between Helsinki and Hämeenlinna was opened. The station's plans were drawn by the Swedish architect Carl Albert Edelfelt. However, as the popularity of railways grew, the station turned out to be too small, and a contest was organised in 1904 with the intention of producing plans for a new station. The contest was won by Eliel Saarinen, with a pure national romanticist design, which sparked off a vigorous debate about the architecture of major public buildings, with demands for a modern, rational style. Saarinen himself abandoned romanticism altogether and re-designed the station completely. The new design was finished in 1909 and the station was opened in 1919.

Renovation

The railway station has been renovated occasionally. In the 1960s the underground Asematunneli tunnel was built. The first surveillance cameras in the station hall were installed in the spring of 1968^[1]. The first electric train arrived at the station on January 13, 1969. After testing, regular electric train traffic was started between Helsinki and Kirkkonummi on January 26^[2].

In 1982, the Helsinki Metro station Rautatientori was built under the railway station. In 2000, a glass roof, which had already been in the original drawings by Eliel Saarinen, was built over the railway station's platforms, although to a new design. In 2003, the shopping wing Kauppakuja was opened along with a hotel.

The metro station can be accessed through Asematunneli

File:Helsinki station statues.JPG

Statues outside the station entrance

Presidential lounge

One of the station's less known features is a private 50 m² waiting lounge exclusively for the use of the President of Finland and his/her official guests. The lounge, featuring furniture designed by Eliel Saarinen, has two entrances, a bigger one leading outside to the Rautatientori square and a smaller one leading to the main station hall. The lounge was first completed in 1911 and was originally intended for the private use of the Emperor of Russia, but the First World War delayed its official inauguration to 1919, at which point it had been converted into a temporary military hospital, and was afterwards given to the use of the Finnish President. According to Kari Pekka Rosenholm, the former station manager, the lounge is the only one of its kind in the entire world.

Bibliography

Helsingin rautatieasema / Helsinki railway station by Hilkka Högström (Helsinki 1996) ISBN 951-53-0533-0

References

^ Helsingin Sanomat January 15, 1969, p.14.
^ Helsingin Sanomat January 14, 1969 p. 11 and January 27, 1969 p. 3.

External links

HSL region															M	R
VR region																	Nokia
VR/Nysse region																	Tesoma
VR/Kymenlaakso region																	Tampere C
																	Lempäälä	G		Z		O
= Helsinki commuter rail																	Viiala						Lahti
= VR commuter rail																	Toijala		Herrala				Villähde
															M		Iittala		Järvelä				Nastola
															D		Parola		Lappila		Henna		Uusikylä
																	Hämeenlinna		Mommila				Kausala
																	Turenki		Oitti				Koria
														T			Ryttylä		Hikiä		Mäntsälä		Kouvola
	Y	X																	Riihimäki				Myllykoski
Siuntio			U	L													Hyvinkää	G					Inkeroinen
Kirkkonummi																	Jokela				Haarajoki		Tavastila
Tolsa																	Saunakallio						Kymi
Jorvas							Martinlaakso					Vantaankoski					Järvenpää						Kyminlinna
Masala					E		Louhela					Vehkala	K				Ainola						Paimenportti
Kauklahti							Myyrmäki					Kivistö									Kerava		Kotka
Espoo							Malminkartano					Aviapolis									Savio		Kotka Port
Tuomarila							Kannelmäki					Airport									Korso	O
Koivuhovi							Pohjois-Haaga					Leinelä									Rekola
Kauniainen																					Koivukylä
Kera																					Hiekkaharju
Kilo						A															Tikkurila
Leppävaara																					Puistola
Mäkkylä																					Tapanila
Pitäjänmäki																					Malmi
Valimo																					Pukinmäki
Huopalahti																					Oulunkylä
Ilmala																					Käpylä
Pasila																					Pasila
Helsinki C																					Helsinki C
	Y	X	U	L	E	A		P	I	I	P		K	T	D	R				Z
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60°10′19″N 24°56′29″E / 60.17194°N 24.94139°E / 60.17194; 24.94139

[1] Helsingin Sanomat January 15, 1969, p.14.

[2] Helsingin Sanomat January 14, 1969 p. 11 and January 27, 1969 p. 3.

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