Two new trunk bus routes will start running between Espoo and Vantaa on 14 August. Bus 520 will run from Matinkylä via Leppävaara to Martinlaakso and bus 530 will run from Matinkylä via Espoon keskus to Myyrmäki.
The new trunk bus routes will strengthen transport links between district centers in Espoo as well as regional services between Espoo and Vantaa. Trunk bus services run frequently and punctually. Waiting times are short and there is no need to worry about timetables.
Travelling on trunk bus routes is easy and smooth. The buses have open fare collection, i.e. passengers with a valid ticket can board the buses through all the doors, including the middle doors without showing their ticket to the driver.
Changes to other bus routes
The introduction of trunk bus route 520 will affect especially bus routes serving Olari and Karamalmi. Bus route 555 will be withdrawn. Between Hämevaara and Leppävaara, the route will be replaced by a new route 522B. There will be changes to the routes of buses 202, 335 and 544. Bus routes 532 and 543 will be withdrawn.
The introduction of trunk bus route 530 will affect especially bus routes serving Suvela, Suna and Tuomarila. There will be changes to the routes of buses 224 and 531. Bus routes 134, 136, 531B and 565(B) will be withdrawn.
Trunk bus route 530 will not serve all the stops now served by bus 565(B) between Espoon keskus and Myyrmäki. This is in order to shorten journey times, which is one of key objectives of trunk bus routes.
The stops that trunk bus route 530 will not serve are lightly used. Walking distances to stops will remain reasonable and no stops will be left unserved as other buses will serve the stops not served by the trunk bus route.
New crosstown bus route 523 from Westend to Leppävaara
A new crosstown bus route 523 will start running from Westendinasema via Tapiola to Leppävaara from 14 August. The bus will run along Westendinkatu, Etelätuulentie, Merituulentie, Tapiolantie and Ring I.
Bus 523 will provide a fast link between Tapiola and Leppävaara. It will replace the withdrawn section of trunk bus route 550 from Leppävaara to Tapiola and Westendinasema.
The terminus of bus 550 will move to Keilaniemi
The terminus of trunk bus route 550 will move from Westendinasema to Keilaniemi on 14 August. Bus 550 will run along light rail line 15 until there are enough vehicles to increase the service frequency of the light rail line.
Light rail line 15 will start running in autumn 2023 or at the latest in 2024. The decision on the start of operation will be made later.
Other changes to bus services in Tapiola and Leppävaara from 14 August
A new bus route 105, Lauttasaari (M) – Haukilahti – Niittykumpu (M) – Mankkaa, will start.
The new bus route will provide feeder services from Haukilahti and Westend to Lauttasaari also on weekends. The bus will also provide a welcome transport link from Haukilahti to the Niittykumpu Metro Station. Bus route 104 will be withdrawn.
There will be changes to the routes of buses 52, 111, 113, 114, 118, 212 and 213N. Bus route 112 will be withdrawn. It will be replaced by bus 114 in Haukilahti. Bus route 115 will be withdrawn and replaced by bus 105.
Bus 52 will be rerouted to improve connectivity between the Maari employment area and West Helsinki. The route of bus 111 will be shortened and the bus will run between Otaniemi and Matinkylä. Bus 533 will serve Hyljelahti.
Bus 113 will be rerouted from Tapiola Metro Station via Laajalahti and Friisinmäki to Leppävaara to improve public transport links to Retail Park Bredis.
The terminus of bus route 114 will move from Tapiola to Matinkylä, enabling new direct services between Mankkaa and Matinkylä. The transport links between Espoon keskus and Urheilupuisto will also improve. Bus 118 will start running via Urheilupuisto Metro Station.
During the planning of the routes, especially the residents of Laajalahti and Perkkaa were worried about public transport services in the areas. In Laajalahti, services will rely heavily on light rail line 15. Perkkaa will be served by light rail 15 as well as by bus routes 202, 212, 213N and 502.
Read more about the changes here.
The timetables of the new routes will be available in the Journey Planner after 1 July.
New bus routes were designed in interaction with customers
We designed the new bus routes for Tapiola and Leppävaara in close interaction with customers.
Prior to commencing the planning, we conducted a survey to gather information about the travel habits and needs of people living and travelling in Tapiola and Leppävaara.
A blog about the plan was a key channel of interaction. On the blog, public transport planners provided information about the progress of planning and customers commented on the plan. We also held two customer workshops.
We would like to thank everyone who participated in the planning. Best public transport services are designed together.