Detour Route for the Vuosaari Tunnel Increases Transport Costs – Temporary Surcharge Introduced as of 1 February 2026

The road tunnel leading to the Port of Vuosaari in Helsinki was closed for repair work on 6 January 2026. Traffic has been redirected to a detour route, which has a direct impact on transport travel times.

The tunnel renovation is necessary to ensure the tunnel’s safety and operational reliability in the coming years. However, the temporary traffic arrangements during the renovation create exceptional cost impacts on transport operations. Using the detour significantly increases both the driving distance and travel time, especially for heavy-duty vehicles. In practice, this means longer driving times and higher operational costs.

DHL Freight has monitored traffic on the detour route during the beginning of the year. Unfortunately, congestion and delays have proved to be greater than anticipated, and the situation is not expected to improve in the near future. As transport volumes grow, congestion may even increase further.

As a result of the tunnel renovation, we will introduce a temporary Vuosaari Tunnel Detour Surcharge as of 1 February 2026. The surcharge will apply only for the duration of the renovation. The estimated tunnel closure period is approximately one year.

The surcharge applies to European road transports as well as the Jutland region of Denmark (postal codes 5000–9999). It does not affect transport prices to Eastern Europe, Scandinavia (excluding Jutland), the Baltics, the United Kingdom, or Ireland.

Surcharge Amount