Finland
Helsinki
UMR Index Rank
#11
(-10)
Score: 64%
Sustainable Mobility
#1
(+3)
Score: 76.9%
Public Transit
#12
(-5)
Score: 62.1%
Technology Adoption
#19
Score: 50.6%
| Population | 1.3 million |
| Surface area (km2) | 515 |
| Population-density (people/km2) | 2,495 |
| GDP per capita ($) | 60,369 |
UMR Index Rank
#11
(-10)
Score: 64%
Sustainable Mobility
#1
(+3)
Score: 76.9%
Public Transit
#12
(-5)
Score: 62.1%
Technology Adoption
#19
Score: 50.6%
What Helsinki Does Well In Urban Mobility
Helsinki’s strong commitment to sustainable transport, with the goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2030, earns it the top spot in the Sustainable Mobility sub-index alongside its 11th-place ranking in the overall Urban Mobility Readiness Index. Car-free zones, advanced cycling infrastructure, and a modern national railroad network enable residents to use sustainable modes of transport.
Walking is the most popular mode of transport in Helsinki, accounting for nearly 50% of all trips. The city is investing heavily in areas like ridesharing to promote multimodal transit, and it continues to enhance its diverse transit offerings. For example, as part of the urban renewal of the Kalasatama district, the city has constructed pedestrian walkways, built dedicated cycle superhighways, and expanded its tram network with a new 4.5-kilometer (2.8-mile) line connecting the coastal lying Kalasatama to the inland neighborhood of Pasila.
Finland has a strong commitment to road safety. Helsinki achieved zero pedestrian and cyclist fatalities in 2019 and has since maintained low figures. With a goal of achieving zero road deaths — including drivers — Helsinki has invested in improving street layouts and implemented reduced speed limits. Strict fines for speeding, determined as a percentage of the driver’s income, act as an additional deterrent.
Urban Mobility Readiness Index, Sustainable Mobility, Public Transit, and Technology Adoption scores
Source: Oliver Wyman Forum and University of California, Berkeley
Challenges And Opportunities For Helsinki’s Transportation System
Compared to top performers like San Francisco or Paris, Helsinki lacks an ecosystem of innovation that can fully utilize the latest mobility technologies. The Finnish capital is home to comparatively few major mobility companies, which impacts the level of private investment available for mobility research. It also has fewer top universities and labs, especially ones dedicated to research in artificial intelligence and machine learning with a mobility focus.
Helsinki’s public transit network is not yet operating at its full potential, notwithstanding government commitment and investment. Indeed, public transit accounts for less than a quarter of all trips in the city. While the dynamism of active mobility modes is a positive factor that partly explains the trend, the operating hours of public transport may also be limiting utilization. Helsinki’s daily average of 18 hours of operation is lower than Copenhagen’s network, which operates around the clock.
Dimensions of the Urban Mobility Readiness Index score
Source: Oliver Wyman Forum and University of California, Berkeley
How Helsinki Can Improve Its Urban Mobility Performance
Despite year-on-year improvements and continued government investment, including incentives like subsidies, Helsinki’s electric vehicle (EV) charging network is still developing. As of 2024 the city had around 250 public EV chargers. To establish a world-class network like Amsterdam’s, Helsinki would need to more than quadruple its charging station density. The city can address this gap by increasing government-backed investments in public charging stations and subsidizing the installation of home chargers.
Helsinki also can take steps to advance autonomous transit. While private companies are investing in autonomous train technologies such as the Proxion project, the city still does not operate any automated lines, which could help extend public transit operating hours. Helsinki can learn from the experiences of cities like Paris and Singapore that have successfully integrated autonomous transport into their mobility offerings.
Urban Mobility Readiness Index relative ranking evolution (2020-2024)
Source: Oliver Wyman Forum and University of California, Berkeley