Kaupunkiseudut

Kaupunkiseudut, or the Helsinki metropolitan area, is the most populous urban region in southern Finland. It forms the Helsinki seutukunta within the Uusimaa region and centers on the capital city Helsinki, with Espoo, Vantaa and Kauniainen as the core municipalities. Depending on the context, the surrounding municipalities are also included in the broader metropolitan definition for planning and statistical purposes.

The area is characterized by a continuous urban fabric along the Gulf of Finland and serves as Finland’s principal economic, transport and cultural hub. Helsinki is the national capital and largest city, while Espoo and Vantaa host major business districts, research campuses and logistics facilities. Notable clusters include Otaniemi in Espoo, a technology and research hub associated with Aalto University, and Aviapolis in Vantaa near Helsinki-Vantaa Airport.

Transport is highly developed and centrally coordinated by HSL (Helsingin seudun liikenne), covering buses, rail, the tram network and the Helsinki metro. The Ring Rail Line links the region with Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, and the Länsimetro project has extended metro service from Helsinki into Espoo, enhancing cross-municipal mobility.

In planning and policy, kaupunkiseudut denotes a coordinated sub-region where housing, land use, transport and economic development are planned across municipal borders. The region’s dense urban form and integrated services distinguish it as a model of metropolitan planning in Finland.