Passenger satisfaction with public transport remained high, with 75 per cent of HSL area residents being satisfied with public transport. Geneva came out on top for the fourth year running, with 83 per cent of residents being satisfied.
The HSL area ranked better than the other BEST cities in many respects. For example, residents’ willingness to recommend public transport was clearly higher than elsewhere. Satisfaction with the reliability of public transport and travel comfort was also higher than in the other cities.
In the BEST survey, respondents evaluate ten public transport quality factors. HSL area residents were more satisfied than before with disruption information and the value for money of public transport. In addition, satisfaction with the modernity of the vehicles improved from 2017.
HSL app and cuts to mobile ticket prices increased customer satisfaction
“In 2018, the HSL app, improved disruption information and cuts to mobile ticket prices at the beginning of the year improved customer satisfaction,” says Director of Department Sini Puntanen. “Passengers have also noticed the modern, more environmentally friendly vehicles introduced in the region.”
Although HSL performed well in the comparison between the cities, the overall satisfaction of residents was down by three percentage points from 2017. Passengers were less satisfied than before with, for example, the reliability of public transport and with journey times. Respondents from Espoo were particularly critical. The dissatisfaction reflects the opening of the West Metro and the switch to feeder services in South Espoo.
In 2018, the participants included the HSL area, Geneva, Bergen, Copenhagen, Oslo, Trondheim, Rotterdam and Stockholm. Some 2,100 residents from all HSL member municipalities responded to the survey.