Pasila

Pasila (Finnish; Swedish: Böle) is a central district of Helsinki, Finland, known as a major transport hub, office centre and media quarter. It lies just north of the city centre and grew up around the railway junction established in the late 19th century.

The area is commonly divided into West Pasila (Länsi-Pasila), dominated by office towers, and East Pasila (Itä-Pasila), characterized by large residential blocks and the distinctive 1960s–1970s modernist deck-access apartment complexes. Pasila also contains industrial and service zones, exhibition facilities and stretches of green space connecting to Helsinki’s Central Park.

Pasila railway station is one of the city’s principal stations, serving long-distance and commuter trains and linking to an extensive bus network. In the 2010s Pasila underwent major redevelopment, anchored by the Tripla complex — a mixed-use scheme combining a shopping centre, offices, hotel and new residential buildings integrated with an enlarged station. The area hosts several national media organizations and corporate offices, and includes convention and sports facilities.

Urban planning in Pasila has focused on densification, improved pedestrian and cycling connections, and integrating transport with new housing and commercial development. The district’s combination of transit accessibility, commercial functions and residential neighbourhoods makes it an important and evolving part of Helsinki’s urban landscape.