The prices of public transport will increase in the capital region starting on January 1, 2023.
The Executive Board of the Helsinki Regional Transport Authority (HSL) has decided to increase the prices of AB and BC tickets from next January. The executive board came to their decision on Tuesday.
The price of single tickets will increase from €2.80 to €3.10. A 30-day AB or BC ticket will cost €70.60 or €58.80 as an auto-renewing subscription.
Starting next January, the student discount will also be lowered from 45% to 40%. It’s noteworthy that only full-time students will be entitled to the discount. The discount for those over 70 years of age will also be lowered by the aforementioned 5%.
Another change that will affect the wallets of those traveling by public transport is that HSL will no longer grant free tickets to event participants.
In addition, a payment method fee of 1.6% will be added to tickets paid using the mobile payment for all one-off purchases under €50.
However, the prices of ABCD tickets, which cover the entire HSL area, will decrease beginning of next year.
The price of ABCD single tickets will decrease from €5.70 to €4.50, and an auto-renewing saver subscription for the entire HSL area will cost €91.40 instead of €118.90.
School groups will continue to travel free of charge next year, but the executive board decided that from 2024, these journeys will be paid for by municipalities.
The board also proposed to the Ministry of Transport and Communications that the public transport penalty fare be raised from €80 to €100. The penalty fare has been €80 in the HSL area since 2007.
HSL oversees the operation of all of Helsinki’s public transportation. The system consists of local buses, trams, the metro, ferries, commuter trains, and the city bike service.
The executive board noted in a statement that the increase in prices resulted from “a sharp increase in HSL’s operating expenses.” HSL estimated that their operating expenses will increase by a total of €130 million compared to 2022.
“HSL is facing very challenging circumstances, so the decision is a good one considering the situation in its totality,” said the board chairman of HSL, Matias Pajula (the NCP), in an interview.
