A working group of the Ministry of Transport and Communications proposes that the construction of a "ring track" to Helsinki-Vantaa Airport should begin next year.
Under the proposed schedule, the rail link would begin operations in 2013.
The estimated cost of the project is about EUR 420 million. The working group proposes that 70-75 per cent of the cost should come from state coffers, while the City of Vantaa would pay between 25 and 30 per cent.
According to the proposal, the state would pay for the costs of the construction for the track, while Vantaa would be responsible for building the stations. The exception would be the station at the airport itself, which would be financed by the state.
Minister of Transport and Communications Susanna Huovinen, who received the proposal on Friday, said that she is confident that the next government will decide on implementing the rail link later this year.
Huovinen said that she considers it likely that the decisions will largely be made on the basis of the proposal of the working group.
The working group urged the state and the City of Vantaa to agree as soon as possible on sharing the construction costs.
The planned track would link the existing stations of Vantaankoski in the west and Hiekkaharju in the east of Vantaa. Trains between the airport and the centre of Helsinki would operate in both directions.
The length of the new track would be 18 kilometres, eight kilometres of which would be underground. Five new stations are planned for the new track, and three more could be built later.
