Press Release | Uumen Hotels to open 150-room micro hotel at Helsinki Central Railway Station in spring 2027

PRESS RELEASE 22.7.2026

Uumen Oy

For release on 22 July 2026 at 8:00 EEST

The award-winning Finnish hotel company will bring affordable private accommodation to one of Finland’s most recognisable landmarks, adding a new reason to stay at Helsinki Central Railway Station — not just pass through it.

Finnish hotel operator Uumen Hotels will open a new hotel in the west wing of Helsinki Central Railway Station in spring 2027. The 150-room hotel will follow the same micro-room concept as Uumen’s first hotel in Tampere’s Finlayson district. The premises are being leased from VR, Finland’s state-owned railway company, under a long- term agreement, and conversion work will begin this summer.

“The combination of compact rooms, welcoming design and affordable room rates has been received very warmly in Tampere, and guests have also been asking for a Uumen hotel in Helsinki. The west wing of the iconic Helsinki Central Railway Station is the best possible location for our next opening. In the very heart of the city, we can serve business travellers, city-break guests and passengers continuing their journey by train or via the airport. For international visitors, the station is a natural gateway to Helsinki and onwards to the rest of Finland — and a good reason to spend a little more time in the capital before continuing the journey, ” says Eetu Rahkola, founder and CEO of Uumen Hotels.

At its most affordable, a single room at the new Uumen hotel can be booked for EUR 40. In addition to solo travellers, the hotel’s main target groups include groups of friends, couples, families and groups such as sports teams and students. The Helsinki hotel will offer three room types: single rooms, double rooms and four-person cabin rooms.

The rooms will be manufactured almost to completion as modular units at a Finnish factory and transported to the hotel site for final installation. This approach enables efficient series production, streamlines the construction phase and helps integrate the new accommodation concept sensitively into the culturally significant architecture of Helsinki Central Railway Station.

For property owners, the project also demonstrates how compact, modular hospitality can unlock new value in centrally located urban assets — including historic and architecturally significant buildings where efficient use of space, careful adaptation and a manageable construction process are essential.

“Building an affordable hotel option is first and foremost about prioritisation. We optimise the use of space without compromising on what matters most in a hotel: a good night’s sleep, calm, cleanliness and caring service,” Rahkola says.

In addition to compact rooms, the guest experience is complemented by shared spaces, including shared bathrooms and a lounge for working and relaxing. Cooperation with local service providers is also a central part of the concept: in each Uumen hotel, guests are offered selected benefits at nearby restaurants and leisure services, while breakfast and gym services are arranged with neighbourhood partners. Jani Jääskeläinen, project manager for the Helsinki Central Railway Station development project, says the hotel is a natural next step in expanding the station’s services.

“One of the key aims of the development project launched at Helsinki Central Railway Station in 2019 has been to make the station a destination, not just a place people pass through. The Finnish Uumen hotel fits this vision excellently. It brings a new and delightfully affordable accommodation option to the station’s services, and gives travellers another reason to stop and enjoy Helsinki Central Railway Station. What better place to stay in Helsinki — even in connection with a train journey — than the station itself,” Jääskeläinen says.

Further information:

Eetu Rahkola
CEO & Entrepreneur, Uumen Oy
eetu.rahkola@uumenhotels.fi
+358440313340

Jani Jääskeläinen 
Project Manager, VR 
jani.jaaskelainen@vr.fi
+358408621788

Uumen Hotels is a Finnish-owned hotel operator offering affordable accommodation in micro hotels in central urban locations. Compact rooms, inviting shared spaces and warm service create a straightforward and comfortable hotel experience. Founded in 2024, Uumen Hotels was awarded the Visit Tampere Award in its opening year and has also been featured in Forbes.
Read more: www.uumenhotels.fi/en

Designed by internationally renowned Finnish-American architect Eliel Saarinen, Helsinki Central Railway Station is a source of national pride and is widely regarded as one of the world’s most beautiful railway stations. Serving rail passengers since 1919, the station has always been far more than simply the starting point of a journey. Today, it is Finland’s busiest building and an iconic meeting place in the heart of Helsinki. Its historic architecture, distinctive atmosphere and continually evolving range of services make it a welcoming place to spend time, whether you are arriving from near or far, passing through or planning to stay.
Read more: www.paarautatieasema.fi/en