Helsinki to roll out new bus routes

A number of changes will be made to HSL transport services on 12 August with the switch to autumn timetables.

The biggest changes will take place in North Espoo and Central Uusimaa, where new bus routes will be introduced, said Helsinki Region Transport Authority-HSL in a press release.

In North Espoo and Leppävaara, effective feeder services to Coastal Line stations and frequent services to central Helsinki will continue to provide the backbone of the public transport network. Although the changes to the route network are not dramatic, they are the biggest in 17 years.

Route 235 will form the backbone of the new route network. The service will be rerouted and it will later be converted into trunk route 200. The bus will run between Elielinaukio and Espoon keskus via Leppävaara and Jorvi. It will run every ten minutes for most of the day, from early morning to late evening every day.

Bus routes will also change in Tuusula and Kerava. The changes are significant in particular in southern Tuusula, where bus services to Kamppi in Helsinki will be replaced by frequent and effective feeder services to train stations. Direct services to central Helsinki will continue to operate on weekdays.

In Kerava, all bus routes will terminate at Kerava station to facilitate interchanging between buses and trains. In Kellokoski, bus 665 will form the backbone of public transport. The bus will run between Kellokoski and Hyrylä via Järvenpää, enabling passengers to connect with train services.

HSL’s trunk route network will expand with two new bus routes when route 58 is converted into trunk route 500 and route 551 into trunk route 510. The timetables and routes of the buses will not change but the number of stops served will decrease to speed up journey times.

The buses will be colored orange like other trunk routes.Passengers can also board the buses through middle doors. Later in the autumn, when the new Pasila station and public transport terminal are completed, the buses will be rerouted to run along Aleksis Kiven katu.