Tampere tram extends to Pirkkala’s Partola and Ruotula from 7 August 2028

The start date marks the next stage in the city’s decade-long tram expansion, a plan approved by the city council on 7 November 2016. Construction began in March 2017 and the network opened its first section between Hervanta, Pyynikintori and the TAYS–Sori area on 9 August 2021. Since then the route has been extended to Santalahti (August 2023) and to Pyhällönpuisto (January 2025). Mayor Ilmari Nurminen has praised the alliance model used on the project, saying the tram has boosted accessibility and equality across Tampere and acted as a growth driver.

The new works add about 7 kilometres of track. Between Sorin aukio and Partola there will be seven stop pairs: Viinikanlahti, Hatanpää, Arboretum, Rantaperkiö, Härmälä, Härmälänranta and Partola. The line will also be extended from the Kauppi campus to a new temporary Ruotula terminal.

The first construction phase is 66 percent complete, the Pirkkala–Linnainmaa alliance says, and only 51 percent of the scheduled time has been used. Testing of the finished system is expected to start in spring 2028, Tampereen Raitiotie Oy says, once electrical work is finished.

The tram now accounts for 37 percent of Nysse's trips and has carried about 84 million journeys since opening, the company reports. It aims to field 16 of the 37-metre trams and 19 of the 47-metre trams when services start. The fleet currently totals 28 vehicles.

Earlier milestones include Pirkkala laying its first tram tracks in Partola in April 2026 when Pirkkala became Finland’s first tram municipality, and rails now crossing the Tampere–Pirkkala border as the Härmälänoja bridge work nears full opening completed this summer.