Tampere Tram service turns 5 – 79 million passenger journeys made

Tampere Tram service marked its fifth anniversary on Sunday, 9 August 2026. In five years, the Tramway has experienced quite a growth spurt: annual passenger numbers have doubled, the Tramway route has been expanded, and even tram cars are being extended.

– In five years, the Tramway has become an important part of the daily lives of Tampere residents and the growth of the city. It makes getting around easier, connects urban neighbourhoods, and supports the development of Tampere as a sustainable and vibrant city, says Ilmari Nurminen, Mayor of Tampere.

The number of Tram passengers has been growing since the start of operations. During the first year of service (from 9 August 2021 to 8 August 2022), nearly 10 million passenger journeys were made. In the second year, there were more than 13 million passenger journeys, and in the third year, the Tram was boarded nearly 16 million times. In the fourth service year, there were 19 million passenger journeys made, and in the fifth year, tram tickets have been validated 20.6 million times. The latest single-day passenger record was set on May Day Eve 2026, with 82 474 boardings.

– In addition to the tram, bus passenger numbers have also increased in five years. The public transport system as a whole now operates more smoothly and is more popular than ever. The tram can form part of a passenger’s overall journey even for people who don’t live on the tram route. The public transport system has become more than the sum of its parts, says Mika Periviita, Director at Tampere City Public Transport Nysse.

Maintaining a high level of service is a top priority

Customer satisfaction with Tampere Tram is monitored using several indicators. Passengers are surveyed monthly about driver performance, the safety of the Tramway, the cleanliness of stops and tram cars, and adherence to timetables. Based on the results of the first half of 2026, passengers are very satisfied with the level of service on the tram lines: the average customer satisfaction score was 4.5 on a scale of 1 to 5.

– The growing passenger numbers and high level of customer satisfaction both indicate that the city residents want to use Tampere Tram and are happy with the service. Maintaining a high level of service and the trust of residents is a top priority for us. We are constantly developing the whole tramway system and our operations together with the skilled professionals of the Tampere Tramway Family and our service providers, says Pekka Sirviö, CEO of Tampere Tramway Ltd.

During the past operating year (9 August 2025 to 8 August 2026), 199 881 departures were operated. A total of 598 departures were cancelled, 50 percent of which were due to accidents or other external factors. 244 cancellations were due to rolling stock, infrastructure or driver-related operational reasons, resulting in a tramway system reliability rate of 99.88 per cent.

– The Tramway has changed the way of getting around for Tampere residents. To us at VR, it is especially important that passengers find the service smooth, safe and pleasant. The customer satisfaction and service reliability rates indicate that we have succeeded in this together with other operators of Tampere Tramway and our staff. We are happy to be part of the Tramway success and to contribute our rail transport expertise to the operation and development of tram services in Tampere, says Vesa Rauhala, Head of Operations at VR.

– A well-built tramway provides a solid foundation for track maintenance and allows us to develop our own maintenance practices. From the start, securing safe and uninterrupted tram services together with our staff, contractors and stakeholders has been at the heart of tramway maintenance. We are prepared for disturbances with versatile clearance equipment, continuous shiftwork by our staff and monthly incident-clearing exercises, says Aleksi Hakanpää, Project Manager of the Tampere Tramway Maintenance Alliance.

Highlights from the first five years

Tampere Tram’s first five years of operation have been marked by several growth spurts. The Tramway service began exactly as scheduled in August 2021, and the project was completed below budget. Back then, the tramway route was 17 kilometres long, and the network comprised 24 pairs of stops. The Tramway was first operated with 20 tram cars.

Over the years, the Tramway has become a new source of pride for Tampere residents. Residents’ attitudes towards Tampere Tram have been monitored since construction began in 2017. At first, 46 percent of Tampere residents had a positive view of the Tramway. According to the most recent consumer survey (in October 2025), as many as 91 percent of Tampere residents view the Tramway positively, and only 4 percent have a negative view, while the corresponding figure in 2017 was 23 percent.

The milestone of 50 000 daily passengers was reached for the first time in 2022, the first full year of operation. In the same year, Tampere Tramway Ltd. ordered eight new tram cars to meet the growing demand.

The Tramway route was first extended in 2023, from Pyynikintori to Santalahti. Approximately 2 kilometres of new tramway opened in August, and 3 new pairs of stops were introduced to the tramway section. Again, the project was completed under budget. In the same year, a big step towards the Tramway’s regional expansion was taken, as the project plan for the Pirkkala–Linnainmaa Tramway was completed, and the City Council of Tampere and the Pirkkala Municipal Council decided to begin the implementation planning phase.

Tampere Tramway’s first construction project, delivered by the Tampere Tramway Alliance, was completed in 2024 with the completion of the Lentävänniemi section. The Tramway Alliance was responsible for the planning and construction of Phases 1, 2A and 2B of the Tampere Tramway. All phases were completed on schedule and under budget.

In the same year, the municipality of Pirkkala made a historic decision to start the construction of the Pirkkala–Linnainmaa Tramway together with the City of Tampere. The decision marks the extension of the Tramway towards the district of Linnainmaa in Tampere and Suuppa in Pirkkala, in two phases. The length of the tramway planned between Sorin aukio and Suuppa is approximately 9.3 kilometres, and there are 11 pairs of stops planned for the section. Between Kaupin kampus and Linnainmaa, the plan is to build a section of 4.3 kilometres and four pairs of stops. In the first phase, tramway sections from Sorin aukio to Partola and from Kaupin kampus to Ruotula will be built. The goal is to begin tram services to these temporary termini in August 2028. The implementation of the second phase of the tramway requires confirmation of state funding. In phase 2 (2028–2032), sections to Suuppa and Linnainmaa are to be built. Service could begin in early 2032. The Tampere Tramway’s Pirkkala–Linnainmaa Alliance is responsible for the construction.

The section from Santalahti to Lentävänniemi opened in January 2025. This brought the total length of the Tampere Tramway network to 24 kilometres. There are 33 pairs of tram stops along the route. During the calendar year, over 20 million journeys were made with the tram. The year 2025 marked another turning point in the regional expansion of the Tramway, as the preparation of the Lielahti–Ylöjärvi Tramway project plan started.

Tampere has a reliable and punctual tramway system operated with a rolling stock of 28 tram cars.

Each tram car is given a name from the Finnish name-day calendar corresponding to its delivery date. If several names appear in the calendar on that day, the public votes for their favourite. The tram cars, in order of arrival, are named: Lyyli, Valma, Saaga, Lempi, Iisakki, Visa, Helinä, Atro, Aava, Tellervo, Tuure, Kukka, Ritva, Ensio, Urho, Päiviö, Aliisa, Olga, Veera, Hilla, Martta, Pirkka, Sointu, Sampsa, Paavo, Arsi, Elias and Oiva.

A tram car extension programme is also under way in Tampere. Valma became the first tram car to be extended: a 10-metre extension module was attached to it, making the 47-metre Valma the longest tram in the Nordic countries. New tram cars have been ordered for Tampere, and the aim is to have 19 extended tram cars and 16 37-metre tram cars in service by August 2028. Three tram stops are also being lengthened to accommodate the extended tram cars. Work to lengthen the Koskipuisto stop is currently under way, and the extensions of the stops at Tulli and Hervantakeskus will be completed later this year. Construction of the Pirkkala–Linnainmaa Tramway reached a major milestone, the half-way, in June. The project has progressed smoothly and is ahead of schedule.

The planning of the Lielahti–Ylöjärvi Tramway is progressing as well. The aim is to complete the project plan in spring 2027, after which the Ylöjärvi and Tampere City Councils can decide whether to begin the implementation planning phase and determine its target schedule.

A Tramway art programme has been running in Tampere since tramway construction began, bringing art in different forms to trams and the tramway environment. 94 artists have taken part in the Tramway art programme, and 73 art projects have been completed during its course. There is also an art tram operating in Tampere, featuring thus far seven temporary artworks on its sides. The art tram serves as a venue for pop-up performances, and passengers have enjoyed performances by 34 local acts to date.

About the Tampere Tramway Family

• Approximately 600 people work in various organisations as part of the Tampere Tramway Family. The majority of them work in the Pirkkala–Linnainmaa Alliance of the Tampere Tramway.
• Tampere Tramway Ltd. employs 21 people.
• VR employs 122 tram drivers, 7 traffic controllers, and 7 administrative employees.
• The Tampere Tramway Maintenance Alliance employs 35 full-time employees and several subcontractor employees.
• Škoda Transtech employs 35 people in rolling stock maintenance.
• Tampere Tram is part of the Nysse public transport product family.

Tampere Tramway Ltd is a limited liability company whose majority shareholder is the City of Tampere. The company’s other shareholders are the Municipality of Pirkkala and the cities of Kangasala and Ylöjärvi. As the contracting authority, the company is responsible for the construction of Tampere’s tram infrastructure, the procurement of rolling stock, arranging financing, and ensuring the operational functionality of the tram system. Tampere Tramway Ltd is developing the tram system into a transportation system of the future that supports the growth of the metropolitan area.