HSL’s passenger numbers and ticket revenue increased in 2011

In 2011, HSL's operating income totaled EUR 520.3 million, out
of which tickets revenue accounted for 48.6 percent and municipal
contributions for 48.2 percent. HSL’s ticket revenue increased from
2010 by some EUR 9.4 million to EUR 252.8 million.

Passenger numbers on Helsinki region public transport
continued to increase in 2011. The number of journeys made on HSL's
services totaled nearly 336 million, up by 2.8 percent from the
previous year.

Due to the good financial results, there was no need to
increase municipal contributions by HSL’s member municipalities
despite the fact that expenses increased as the public transport
costs went up more than anticipated. Fares were raised on average
by one percent in the beginning of 2011.

“It is great that the popularity of public transport
continued to increase also during HSL’s second year of activities.
Our goal is to increase not only the passenger numbers but also the
modal share of public transport. This is extremely challenging as
the number of journeys made by car is rapidly increasing especially
in the neighboring municipalities,” says Suvi Rihtniemi, Executive
Director of HSL.

Operating costs increased

Operating expenses amounted to EUR 514.6 million, with the
purchase of services accounting for nearly 96 percent of the total
(EUR 493.4 million). Operating costs were the largest item of
expenditure at EUR 407.5 million. The public transport cost level
rose on average by 3.7 percent in 2011.

HSL’s member municipalities charged HSL a total of EUR 63.2
million for the use of public transport infrastructure. 

HSL’s staff costs amounted to EUR 16 million. At the end of
2011, HSL employed 351 people.

In 2011, HSL’s investments totaled EUR 4.3 million, out of
which EUR 1.6 million was related to the maintenance of the current
Travel Card system and procurements related to the future ticketing
and information system. The investments fell significantly short of
the budget mainly due to the postponement of projects related to
the renewal of the Travel Card system. 

Passenger satisfaction with public transport services
continued at high levels. In HSL’s customer survey, 8.4 percent of
the respondents gave public transport services either a good a very
good overall grade. Only 1.9 percent of the respondents considered
the service to be poor or very poor. In the European BEST survey,
Helsinki region public transport came out on top for the second
time in a row.