In the north of Europe, a smart city is emerging that does not seek to impress with technical gimmicks or spectacular futuristic architecture. Helsinki is pursuing a pragmatic, consistently people-centred approach: digital technologies are intended to solve specific problems, improve public services and give people more say in the development of their city.

To this end, the Finnish capital is relying on the interplay of open data, digital administration, sustainable mobility, urban test beds and citizen participation. Helsinki also demonstrates that a city does not become ‘smart’ through technology alone – but rather by how sensibly it uses that technology for the benefit of its residents.

But what exactly makes Helsinki a smart city?

Technology is not an end in itself

Helsinki’s smart city strategy begins with the needs of its residents. Digital solutions are designed to make services faster, more accessible and more proactive – regardless of when and where people need them.

Services already available include digital health services, online communication with the local authority, digital educational provision, booking systems for public spaces and equipment, and electronic parking services. At the same time, the city offers support to people who have difficulty using digital devices, online services or electronic identification.

In this way, Helsinki deliberately links digitalisation with participation: Digital services are intended to make the city more accessible to everyone, not to create new barriers.

Open data as the infrastructure of the smart city

A key foundation is Helsinki Region Infoshare, or HRI for short. Through this platform, Helsinki and the surrounding towns make public data available for free use.

The offering comprises hundreds of datasets and application programming interfaces – ranging from transport, population and urban planning, through to buildings and the environment, and extending to education and culture. Businesses, research institutions, the media and citizens can use this information for new applications, analyses and services. HRI currently has more than 500 datasets, nearly 200 APIs and over 300 applications based on open data.

In this way, they become a form of public infrastructure: they create transparency, support data-driven decision-making and enable innovation even outside the city administration.

A digital twin for mobility

How can we better understand traffic flows? Which routes do cyclists actually use? And where do roads, cycle paths or bus stops need improving?

To answer such questions, Helsinki is developing a digital twin for mobility. This virtual representation of the transport system combines information on roads and paths, public transport, traffic volumes, journey times, weather, air quality, roadworks and more.

Using this model, transport planners can simulate developments and test new solutions before they are implemented in the real urban environment. As part of the Mobility Lab Helsinki, for example, AI-based traffic counters, LiDAR sensors and new methods for assessing the condition of roads and cycle paths have been trialled.

The key point is that Helsinki views the city itself as a test environment. Businesses, researchers, the local government and the public work together to develop solutions under real-world conditions. This shortens the path from pilot project to practical application.

Smart mobility starts with buses, trains and bicycles

When it comes to mobility, Helsinki does not rely solely on new propulsion systems or autonomous vehicles. The city follows a clear sequence: First, the needs of pedestrians are taken into account, followed by cycling, public transport, commercial transport and, finally, private cars.

Digital passenger information, online tickets, sharing schemes and the integration of different modes of transport make it easier to switch between them. In Helsinki and the neighbouring city of Espoo, there are also around 4,600 public bicycles available, which can be located and used via the regional transport authority’s app.

Technology supports a broader goal: mobility should be convenient, affordable, low-emission and accessible to as many people as possible.

Climate protection becomes a task for innovation

Helsinki is part of the European Mission for Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities. The participating cities are set to trial new solutions for energy, buildings, waste, transport and urban development by 2030, thereby serving as centres of innovation for other local authorities.

The Finnish capital therefore closely links its climate policy with data, pilot projects and new forms of collaboration. These include the energy optimisation of municipal buildings, a low-emission vehicle fleet, charging infrastructure, sustainable logistics and digital solutions for traffic management.

In Helsinki, ‘smart city’ thus means not only ‘digital’, but also resilient and climate-friendly.

Citizens decide on millions

The people-centred approach is particularly evident in the participatory budget OmaStadi. Via this digital platform, residents can submit ideas for their neighbourhoods, develop them further and vote on their funding.

In the first four rounds, the people of Helsinki decided on projects with a total budget of 32 million euros. All residents aged 13 and over are eligible to take part. The selected ideas are then turned into feasible projects in collaboration with the city’s experts. By the end of the current round, a total of 218 projects initiated by the public are set to have been implemented.

This is how digitalisation becomes a democratic tool: the platform not only gathers opinions but also gives residents concrete decision-making power.

Helsinki’s model for success: openness, trust and experimentation

A successful smart city is not based on a single app or technology. Its strength lies in the interplay between open data, efficient public services, sustainable mobility, urban innovation spaces and genuine participation.

Helsinki does not simply digitise existing processes. It uses technology to reorganise public administration, urban planning and democratic participation. At the same time, data protection, accessibility and ethical considerations remain integral to its digital strategy.

In doing so, Helsinki provides an important impetus for European urban development: a city is not ‘smart’ simply because it uses as much technology as possible – but because it intelligently integrates technology into the everyday lives of its people.