At the beginning of 2021, the prices of adult 30-day season tickets will increase by 3 euros. There will be no increases in the prices of single and day tickets. The prices of annual tickets and saver tickets will decrease. The new price will be the price of a 30-day ticket multiplied by ten instead of by eleven as at present. People aged 70 and more will get a discount on season tickets instead of the current discount on daytime single tickets. The price of an over 70 season ticket will decrease by more then 40 per cent; for example, the price of an AB ticket will decrease from 59.70 euros to 34.50 euros.
The price increases are moderate because the share of public transport subsidy from HSL member municipalities will increase to an average of 64 per cent compared to the normal about 50 per cent of HSL’s operating costs. However, the revenue gap of 130 million euros will require state and EU support in addition to the additional subsidies from municipalities.
“The government’s recent supplementary budget promises more support for public transport, which will ease our situation this year. This year continues to be very difficult due to the coronavirus pandemic and our ticket revenue will fall short of the 2019 level. However, expenditure remains almost unchanged, as we aim to maintain a high level of public transport service in order to ensure that, even in exceptional circumstances, people’s work and leisure journeys are as smooth as possible. HSL is grateful for the state aid received this year, but aid is also needed for 2021,” says Suvi Rihtniemi.
Municipal public transport subsidies are targeted at those who use public transport on a regular basis. As a result, the subsidy rate of 30-day season tickets will rise to as much as 70 per cent.
New discount ticket for people aged 70 and over
From the start of 2021, people aged 70 and over will be able to buy season tickets at a 45 per cent discount. At the same time, the time-based discount on single tickets will be withdrawn. Season tickets enable unlimited travel at all times at a very low cost. For example, a 30-day AB discount season ticket will cost 34.50 euros. The ticket is more economical than single tickets if you make six or more return journeys a month. If you buy a ticket for the whole year, the ticket will only cost 29 euros per month.
At the beginning of the year, the range of day tickets will expand to include 8 to 13 days tickets. Initially, the tickets will be available using the HSL app, later also using the HSL card. We will also simplify our range of tickets and in the future, the same tickets will be available on the HSL card and on the HSL app. There will be season tickets for 14, 30, 60, 90, 120 days etc. up to 270 days as well as single and zone extension tickets.
Bus drivers will no longer sell tickets. Tickets sales by drivers were suspended in spring 2020 due to the coronavirus epidemic and now it was decided that ticket sales by drivers will not be reinstated. Before the pandemic, ticket sales by drivers accounted for less than one per cent of total ticket sales. Dwell times at stops are shorter when drivers do not sell tickets. The idea is also to harmonize practices across different modes of transport. Ticket sales on commuter trains ended in summer 2017, on trams at the beginning of 2018.
