Transport Service Plan 2020-2021: more frequent rail services and a new transport link from Tapiola to Espoon keskus

Commuter trains and the metro will run more frequently from autumn 2020 and transport links between Tapiola and Espoon keskus will improve. In addition, we will launch our fifth trunk bus route when route 235 is converted into route 200. There will also be a number of minor changes around the HSL area. The Transport Service Plan 2020-2021 will be effective from the start of summer service in 2020 to the start of summer service in 2021.

Commuter trains will run more frequently from August 2020, in particular on weekends. I and P trains serving Helsinki Airport will start running every 10 minutes instead of every 15 minutes during the daytime on Sundays. A trains, which run between Helsinki and Leppävaara, will run every 20 minutes instead of every 30 minutes during the daytime on Saturdays.

We aim to provide a fast train link from Siuntio to Helsinki by Y train on weekday mornings, arriving at Helsinki before 8am. U trains going to Siuntio will become X trains.

The metro will operate frequent service about half an hour later than at present on weekday and Saturday evenings from August 2020. On Sundays, metro services will start slightly earlier than at present. In addition, half of the services currently terminating at Tapiola may be extended to Matinkylä at peak times.

The decision on introducing more frequent on-peak service to Matinkylä will be made later once we have assessed the results of the test runs conducted in November/December 2019. The decision will also depend on the operating model of the metro to Kivenlahti once the second phase of the West Metro is completed.

New public transport street improves connectivity in Espoo

The new public transport street between Suurpelto and Kuurinniitty in Espoo is expected to be completed in 2020. Bus 118 will be rerouted via the new street instead of Turunväylä. At the same time, route 118B will be extended from Suurpelto to Espoon keskus. The buses will run between Tapiola and Espoon keskus every 10 minutes at peak times and every 15 minutes during the daytime on weekdays and Saturdays. The changes to route 118 will not take place in August; the exact date will be confirmed later.

Bus 235 from Elielinaukio in Helsinki to Espoon keskus will be converted into trunk route 200 in August 2020. The route of the bus will not change but some of the stops currently served will be removed to shorten journey times. Moreover, passengers can also board the buses using the middle doors, passengers do not need to show a valid ticket to the driver/reader and the buses will be colored orange.

In Vantaa, the most popular bus route, bus 562, will start running every 10 minutes also on Sundays from August 2020.

In Kerava and Tuusula, a new bus route, 963 (Kerava–Hyrylä–Pajala), will start operating. The bus will also serve the Housing Fair area in Rykmentinpuisto, Hyrylä, in summer 2020. In addition, weekend bus services will be launched between Hyrylä and Hakaniemi.

Trams return to Hämeentie

Trams 6, 6T and 7 will return to their normal routes in late 2020 once the redevelopment of Hämeentie is completed. Tram services to Sörnäinen Metro Station will resume earlier, with trams 1 and 8 returning to their normal routes and trams 6, 6T and 7 being diverted via Kallio and Helsinginkatu.

Transport Service Plan 2020-2021

  • Every year, HSL draws up a transport service plan setting out service changes for the following year (from the start of the coming summer service to the end of the winter service).
  • The draft Transport Service Plan 2020-2021 was published on the HSL website on 21 November 2019 and it was available for comments until 8 December 2019. We received 250 comments on the draft. Changes to services in Espoo caused by the new public transport street received the most comments.