The Executive Board of HSL decided on 13 February 2018 that the Lahdenväylä route network plan will be implemented at the earliest from August 2019. Some bus services currently running along Hämeentie to the city center will be rerouted to run via Hermannin rantatie to the new bus terminal in Kalasatama.
The biggest change is that there will no longer be direct bus services from all areas covered by the route network to Helsinki city center. It was considered sensible that routes serving the area between the Kerava City Rail Link and Lahdenväylä are terminated in Kalasatama. Trains provide the primary transport link to Helsinki city center from their service area. Routes 711, 721, 731 and 738 will terminate in Kalasatama.
“These arrangements will improve bus services in Vantaa. The service areas of regional bus routes are easy to understand and Vantaa internal routes support the route network. We were able to shorten headways and better synchronize services, while keeping annual costs at the same level as before,” explains Jonne Virtanen, a head of group at HSL.
It is necessary to divert traffic to Kalasatama because the Railway Square cannot accommodate increasing passenger numbers and traffic volumes. Some bus services currently running along Hämeentie to the city center will be rerouted to run via Hermannin rantatie to Kalasatama. With good connections further afield and good service supply, Kalasatama is a natural endpoint for buses running along Lahdenväylä.
“Before launching the routes, we need to be sure that public transport can operate smoothly along Hermannin rantatie and in Kalasatama. In practice, a dedicated bus lane is needed there,” emphasizes Jonne Virtanen.
More frequent feeder services, residents’ opinions taken into account
In the future, there will be more frequent feeder services to Tikkurila, Korso and Koivukylä stations. Services are reduced on some routes with low number of boardings. Even after the changes the level of service in these areas will be good considering the number of boardings, as walking distances to the closest stop will remain in line with the planning guidelines.
“Residents were able to comment on the draft route network plan online, by email and in two residents’ meetings. Based on the feedcack we received, we revised the plan by speeding up route 721 serving Päiväkumpu and by shortening the peak time headways to 10 minutes. A new route 724 from Päiväkumpu to Tikkurila via Havukoski was established to serve school journeys and bus 711 was rerouted to go closer to Kuusikko,” tells Jussi Saarinen, an HSL public transport planner.
In addition, the roll out of the new route network is linked to the completion of the new Ojanko bus depot. If the opening of the depot is delayed, the roll out of the new route network will be postponed and the current transport service contracts will be extended for as long as necessary.
Basic routes, complementary routes and peak time routes
Basic bus routes from Kalasatama will run every 20 minutes during the daytime. The routes are: 711 (Kuusikko, Maarinkunnas, Jokiniemi, Tikkurila), 721 (Honkanummi, Havukoski, Päiväkumpu, Rekola, Koivukylä) and 731 (Mikkola, Korso, Kulomäki). In addition, basic route 717 from the Railway Square will run every 20 minutes (Jakomäki, Vaarala, Hakunila, Nissas, Kolohonka, Honkanummi, Maarinkunnas, Jokiniemi, Tikkurila).
Complementary routes 739 (Kuninkaanmäki, Nikinmäki, Leppäkorpi, Korso) and 785-788 (Nikinmäki, Nikkilä) will run every 30-120 minutes from the Railway Square.
Peak time route 738 (Lahdentie, Nikinmäki, Kerava) will leave from Kalasatama and peak time route 718(A) Hakunila, Nissas (Itä-Hakkila, Sotunki) from the Railway Square.
More frequent service to Tikkurila, Korso and Koivukylä
The route network will provide fairly frequent service from Kalasatama to all district centers along the main line (Tikkurila, Koivukylä, Korso). A new route, 711, will run from Kalasatama to Tikkurila.
Route 717 is extended to Tikkurila to replace the current routes 711 and 712 north of Hakunila. There will be more frequent bus services from Nissas to Tikkurila via Itä-Hakkila, Kolohonka and Vantaan Akseli.
Services will run fairly frequently from Helsinki city center to Honkanummi and Vantaan Akseli every day from morning to evening. In addition, there will a faster transport link from Kalasatama to Vanha Porvoontie during peak commuting times.
Bus 736 will provide a link from the peripheral areas (Kuusikko, Sotunki, Kuninkaanmäki, Nikinmäki, Leppäkorpi) to Korso and Tikkurila.
Bus 739 will provide a link from the peripheral areas (Kuninkaanmäki, Nikinmäki, Leppäkorpi) to the center of Helsinki. The bus will serve the whole Nikinmäki area.
Buses 736 and 739 running between Kuninkaanmäki, Nikinmäki, Leppäkorpi and Korso will provide feeder service to the train station every 15 minutes at peak times and every 30 minutes at other times.
There will be more frequent services on route 721 from Päiväkumpu to Koivukylä train station and other local services as well as to Kalasatama, where passengers can change to metro.
The following routes will serve school journeys:
- From Nikimäki to schools in Korso, routes 736, 737 and 739
- From a wide area to Dickursby skola and Tikkurila Upper Secondary School, routes 570, 711, 717, 721, 735 and 736
- From Nikinmäki to Sotunki Upper Secondary School, route 736
- From Päiväkumpu to Havukoski School, route 721
Night bus network will be adjusted to correspond the daytime routes. After 11pm, services will be provided to the key housing areas from Tikkurila and Helsinki city center.