Omnibus Aktiebolaget i Helsingfors (Helsinki Omnibus Ltd.) is founded, marking the beginning of public transportation in Helsinki.

The aim of the Omnibus Company was to provide affordable and comfortable public transportation in Helsinki. The company ordered from producer four horse-drawn omnibus carriages, each of which could carry 11 passengers. The Töölö - Kaivopuisto line was opened on 14 March 1888. Horse-drawn omnibus also ran on the Sörnäinen-Pitkäsilta-Lapinlahdenkatu and Cemetery-Market Square routes.

Helsinki Omnibus’ operations were continued by the Helsingin Raitiotie- ja Omnibusosakeyhtiö (Helsinki Railroad and Omnibus Company Ltd.), which was founded in 1890 and which began building the rail network in autumn of that year. Horse-drawn tram services also operated temporarily on the Töölö–Kauppatori–Kaivopuisto and Sörnäinen–Kauppatori– Lapinlahti routes, beginning from 11 December 1890. Trams were pulled by a single horse, with a second providing additional traction on uphill stretches. The animals’ working day was three hours long. At its peak the company employed 106 horses. The last horse-drawn trams are taken out of use on 21 October 1901.

Electric tram transportation begins officially on 4 September 1900. Electrification of the tram network is carried out by O. L. Kummer of Dresden. The Kummer factory also built Helsinki’s first electric trams, with the drivers being trained by German engineers.

The City of Helsinki bought out almost all of the company’s shares in 1913, and since 1945 Helsinki City Transport (HKL) has been responsible for tram transport as part of the city’s municipal public services.