Finland Launches Digital Twin Technology

Why Finland Is Building a Digital Twin

In January 2025, Finland took a major step in modern infrastructure planning by launching a national digital twin. Developed by the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency, this advanced platform mirrors the country’s entire road, rail, and air transport systems using real-time data.

This innovation comes at a time when Finland, like many countries, faces rising urbanization, aging infrastructure, and the urgent need for sustainable mobility. Traditional planning tools often rely on outdated data or slow manual processes. By contrast, this digital twin offers a live and intelligent overview of how people and goods move throughout the country. The result is more accurate forecasting, safer networks, and better long-term investments.

How the System Works and What It Enables

This digital twin combines live inputs from sensors, GPS devices, and transport databases to model how the entire network operates. With help from artificial intelligence, the system can analyze traffic flow, delays, and disruptions as they happen, while also simulating potential future changes.

Key capabilities include:

• Visualizing road congestion and bottlenecks
• Monitoring rail operations and scheduling impacts
• Evaluating airport usage and regional connectivity
• Detecting infrastructure stress or maintenance needs
• Simulating the effects of new projects before they are built

This allows planners to test ideas before committing to physical development, making it easier to avoid costly mistakes and respond to real-world issues more quickly.

Who Will Use the Digital Twin

The platform is accessible to both government agencies and private partners. It supports a range of planning, engineering, and policy tasks across sectors such as:

• Urban planning and zoning
• Emergency service coordination
• Public transport optimization
• Research on climate and emissions
• Smart city technology development

While the average person won’t interact with the system directly, the benefits are visible in more efficient public services, better infrastructure investments, and faster improvements in mobility.

 

Setting the Stage for Smarter Cities

This digital twin is not a standalone tool. It forms part of Finland’s broader strategy to integrate digital technologies into public infrastructure and long-term city planning. Eventually, the system can be linked with other sectors like energy, environment, and housing to support smarter and more resilient urban development.

By taking this data-driven approach, Finland is positioning itself as a global example of how to modernize essential services through thoughtful digital innovation.