Škoda loses Helsinki tram deal — 200 jobs at risk
FINLAND: The top court in Finland has rejected Škoda Transtech’s final appeal in the Helsinki tram tender. The ruling clears Stadler Polska to take a contract for up to 183 trams — and Škoda Transtech says up to 200 jobs are at risk at its Otanmäki factory.
Finland’s Supreme Administrative Court issued its ruling on 2 June, ending all legal avenues for Škoda Transtech, which has supplied Helsinki’s trams for more than 13 years.
Stadler Polska’s winning bid exceeded the approved budget by EUR 60m, and the contract still requires political sign-off from the city councils of Helsinki and Vantaa — the procurement is not closed.
Budget overrun keeps contract outcome open
Škoda Transtech was disqualified from the tender on technical-formal grounds during the original procurement. The company contested the decision, arguing its bid met all requirements and that the grounds for exclusion were fabricated. The Market Court upheld the exclusion in March 2026. The Supreme Administrative Court declined to grant leave to appeal on 2 June.
Stadler Polska’s bid of EUR 331m covers 63 trams and 30 years of maintenance, with options for up to 120 additional vehicles. The winning bid exceeds the originally approved budget by 22%, and city council approval is required before the contract can be signed.
Job consultations already under way
Škoda Transtech began formal change negotiations with employees on 25 May — before the KHO ruling — following the Market Court’s rejection of its appeal. The company said the Helsinki contract would have secured work for a significant part of its workforce.
The permanent reduction in workforce is estimated by Škoda Transtech at a maximum of 200 employees, roughly one third of the Otanmäki plant. The Transtech plant is the largest employer in the village of Otanmäki, which has a population of around 1,000.
Škoda Group said Finland and the wider Nordic region remain strategic markets, and that the Otanmäki plant would continue to be used for future business opportunities.