On Independence Day 6 December, HSL’s transport services will operate a Sunday service. There are diversions to tram and bus routes in Helsinki city center due to students’ torchlight procession and President’s Independence Day Reception.
On Tuesday 5 December, a Friday service will operate. In addition, the Metro will run two hours longer than usual and some bus routes that depart from the city center will have additional services.
Transport services on Independence Day, 6 December
A Sunday service will operate. There are diversions to tram and bus routes in Helsinki city center due to parades and President’s Independence Day Reception.
Students’ torchlight procession
The procession will start at 5pm from Hietamiemenkatu and proceed along Hietaniemenkatu, Arkadiankatu, Mannerheimintie and Pohjoisesplanadi to the Presidential Palace, from where it will continue along Mariankatu and Aleksanterinkatu to the Senate Square.
Trams 1 and 2 will run in both directions along Mannerheimintie 4.50pm-5.30pm. The trams will not serve Runeberginkatu and Arkadiankatu. Delays are expected to other tram routes.
Bus 24:
The 4.45pm and 5.05pm services from Merikatu will run along Pietarinkatu, Kapteeninkatu, Tehtaankatu, Laivurinkatu, Fredrikinkatu, Pohjoinen Rautatienkatu and Mechelininkatu. The bus will not serve Korkeavuorenkatu, Mannerheimintie, Arkadiankatu and Pohjoinen Rautatienkatu.
The 4.45pm and 5.05 services from Seurasaari will run along Mechelininkatu, Hietalahdenranta, Bulevardi and Yrjönkatu. The bus will not serve Hietaniemi, Pohjoinen and Eteläinen Rautatienkatu, Arkadiankatu and Mannerheimintie. The buses will stop at all bus stops along the diversion route.
Map showint the diversion route of bus 24
In addition, the procession may cause delays to routes 14, 18, 21V, 37, 39, 41, 42, 69 and 195.
President’s Independence Day Reception
Tram routes 2, 3, 4 and 7 will be diverted from about 5pm to 11pm. Tram 5 will not operate. Buses will replace tram services in Eira and Katajanokka. Map showing the tram diversions and routes of replacement buses
The trams 2 and 3 will run to the terminus of tram 1 on Pursimiehenkatu.
Bus 3X will serve the section of the route not served by the trams. The bus will run from Eteläranta along Laivasillankatu, Tehtaankatu, Laivurinkatu, Fredrikinkatu, Bulevardi, Albertinkatu and Pursimiehenkatu to Viiskulma. The termini will be “Viiskulma” (1174) on Pursimiehenkatu and “Olympiaterminaali” (1987) on Laivasillankatu.
The tram 4 will run to Kolmikulma.
Bus 4X will replace the tram between Lasipalatsi and Katajanokka. The bus will leave from the Postitalo bus stop (2038) and run along Postikatu, Kaivokatu, Kaisaniemenkatu, Liisankatu, Pohjoisranta, Kanavakatu, Satamakatu, Kruunuvuorenranta and Linnankatu to Merikasarminkatu.
The tram 5 will not operate.
The tram will be replaced by bus 5X. The bus will run the same route as bus 4X until Kruunuvuorenkatu, from where it will continue to the terminal.
The tram 7 will run via the Central Railway Station. The tram will not serve Aleksanterinkatu, Snellmaninkatu and Liisankatu.
Other alterations
There will be a number of protest marches on Independence Day that may cause diversions to public transport routes.
Transport services on Tuesday 5 December
A Friday service will operate on most routes. In addition, night buses and the additional pre-Christmas services will run, i.e. the Metro will run two hours longer than usual and some bus routes that depart from the Helsinki city center will have additional services.
However, some U line buses will operate a normal Monday service.
Detailed timetables from the Journey Planner
Detailed timetables are available in the Journey Planner (www.reittiopas.fi).Timetables of U line services are available in the Matkahuolto timetable search, https://www.matkahuolto.fi/.