Investment programme

What is included in the investment programme?

Only the projects on which no funding decision has yet been made are included in the investment programme.

The investment programme includes development projects, major renovation projects and project packages as well as small-scale projects to improve basic transport infrastructure. Projects funded with EU support or jointly with urban regions or the business community are also included in the programme.

What is not included in the investment programme?

The investment programme does not include:
- ongoing projects that you can view on our website
- other projects that have already been decided upon and received funding
- projects that are not yet ready for implementation and planning.
- basic route maintenance measures, including winter maintenance and repairs of routes
- the Digirail project, which is progressing as a separate entity and which has already received partial funding.
- design projects for the Airport line, the one-hour Turku rail link and the Itärata railway, for which separate project companies have been established  

Will all projects listed in the investment programme become a reality?

Not necessarily. The investment programme is a proposal for investments in the state-owned transport network compiled by the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency. Parliament ultimately decides on whether the development projects included in the investment programme will be carried out. The projects will be funded from the Budget.

Parliament may also grant funding for transport infrastructure projects that are not included in the investment programme.

Selection criteria

The investment programme projects have been selected on the basis of the objectives and priorities set out in the Transport 12 plan. Efficiency, sustainability and accessibility are the objectives set out in the Transport 12 plan and they are all aimed at mitigating climate change. Urgent needs, which are also set out in the strategic situational picture for the transport network, can also impact the choices.

The investment programme prepared by the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency is based on the information produced by impact assessments. Major impacts of each project have been identified in the impact assessment. The estimated total impacts indicate how the investment programme will help to make the Transport 12 plan and its accessibility, sustainability and efficiency targets a reality. Assessment of the total impacts of rail, road and waterway projects has been carried out on the basis of the general assessment obligation laid down in the Act on the Impact Assessment of Plans and Projects (200/2005).

Priority in the selection of projects has been on projects promoting the objectives set out in the Transport 12 plan with maximum effectiveness. However, a large number of good and necessary projects have been left outside the investment programme because the development needs total more than EUR 10 billion but only a fraction of this sum is available.

What is the funding basis for the investment programme?

The investment programme is based on the financial framework of the Transport 12 plan and the funding allocation policies. The financial framework for the investment programme (funding available for the plan) is comprised as follows:

• Development projects, approx. EUR 2.8 billion.

• Basic infrastructure improvement projects, approx. EUR 744 million

The programme also includes proposals on projects funded with EU support or jointly with urban regions and the business community. 

The decision on the possible launching of the projects is made by the Parliament.

How is the funding for the investment programme divided by type of transport infrastructure?

The financial framework for the development projects in the Transport 12 plan totals approximately EUR 2.7 billion and it is divided as follows:

Railway network: EUR 1391 million

The investment programme contains many rail projects. The development themes concern the functioning and capacity of the railway network, connections between regional centres, station areas and railway yards as well as measures outside the main rail network.

Road network: EUR 1247 million

The investment programme contains core infrastructure improvement projects, improvement projects in the rest of the road network, and basic infrastructure improvement projects. The development themes concern the development of main routes, improvement of the operating preconditions of businesses on the rest of the road network, and central government participation in projects managed by municipalities outside LHT regions, on a co-funded basis.

Waterways: EUR 198 million

The investment programme contains medium-sized or small-scale improvement projects and other waterway development projects.

You can read more about projects from the investment program publication.

Benefits of the investment programme

The investment programme enables industries to increase their transport volumes and, in the long term, growth in production will also boost regional growth. Transports will become more cost-effective, predictable and manageable. Travel times will be reduced and travelling will become more predictable, smoother and safer.

While the direct climate impacts of the investment programme are small, improving transport efficiency and transition from one mode of transport to another will reduce climate emissions in the longer term.

How is the implementation of the investment programme monitored?

Monitoring provides information on the implementation of the investment programme and the projects and funding level presented in it.  Implementation of the investment programme is monitored annually from four perspectives:

• implementation of the funding level of the investment programme

• implementation of investment projects

• realisation of the estimated impacts of the investment programme

• other monitoring of the investment programme

The information obtained from the monitoring reflects how well the objectives and policies of the Transport 12 plan are implemented with regard to the development and improvement of the transport network. Results of the monitoring are used in the yearly update of the investment programme.

How and when is the investment programme updated?

The investment programme is updated each year. The next transport infrastructure investment programme, covering the period 2026–2033, will be finalised in spring 2025. Only the latest investment programme is used as a basis for decision-making and the programme is always updated in accordance with the latest Transport 12 plan.

Each year, one year plus the required funding are added to the investment programme. As part of the annual update, new projects are added to the investment programme, and these may also include projects that can be started immediately. Annual implementation decisions reduce the financial framework of the investment programme for each type of transport route.

How is the potential for CEF funding considered in the investment programme?

The investment programme identifies transport infrastructure projects for which it is possible to apply for CEF funding after the national funding decisions have been made. According to the CEF 2 period (2021–2027) prepared in the EU, funding focus will be on the core network and the years 2021 to 2024. The likelihood of receiving support funding is higher if the CEF potential projects of the investment programme are subject to implementation decisions during that period. Support may also be applied for in projects that have already been decided upon and have not been designated in the investment programme. When the CEF programme nears its end, support returned from Member States may be redistributed.