New bus routes to be rolled out in Helsinki

Public transport routes in the areas to the west of Helsinki city centre are undergoing a major makeover. New bus routes will be rolled out in South Espoo and Lauttasaari starting from Wednesday morning, said Helsinki City Transport (HKL).

In addition, there will be changes to bus routes in Kauniainen, Kirkkonummi, Kuusisaari and Lehtisaari, said HKL in a press release.

Bus services along the western section of the metro line are replaced by feeder services to metro stations, just like in east Helsinki since the 1980s. The changes to the bus network are the biggest in the region since the opening of the original metro line and they affect the public transport routes of more than 200,000 people.

In Espoo, bus routes that until now went to the Kamppi terminal in Helsinki start terminating Matinkylä or Tapiola, from where passengers will continue to Helsinki by metro.

In addition, there will be changes to bus services within Espoo, with improved cross-town services between metro stations and the coastal line. In addition, some of the bus routes serving Kauniainen are affected.

The key interchange in Espoo is the Matinkylä bus terminal located in the same building as the Iso Omena shopping centre and Matinkylä metro station. In Tapiola, temporary arrangements will remain in place until the completion of the new bus terminal in early 2019.

In Lauttasaari, all buses will run to or via Lauttasaari metro station. Direct bus services will continue to operate to Erottaja and Ruoholahti. Bus routes will change in Lehtisaari and Kuusisaari.

Regional bus routes currently running from Kirkkonummi to Kamppi in Helsinki will terminate at Matinkylä bus terminal during the metro operating hours.

Night buses to south Espoo will continue to operate from the Kamppi terminal outside the metro operating hours.