Helsinki Regional Transport Authority (HSL) has started a limited trial that offers passengers a chance to buy tickets that are valid for only 10 minutes.
The trial began on Wednesday and is set to continue for three months, but the short-duration tickets are only available in a limited area near downtown Helsinki.
The trial is only being offered to people who live in four postal code areas: 00120, 00150, 00510 and 00550. Those cover five neighbourhoods: Punavuori, Eira, Vallila, Alppila and Hernesaari.
HSL posted an article with details about who can take part in the trial earlier this week.
Yle spoke with public transport users about the short-term tickets on Thursday, and many said they thought 10 minutes was not quite long enough.
One of those passengers was Noel Escartin, who uses the tram to get to high school classes in Kallio.
"Personally, I would increase it to 20 minutes," he said.
Unlike other tickets, users of the 10-minute variety need to disembark when the time is up — or, according to HSL — they need to buy a new ticket before the 10-minute ticket expires.
Passengers using regular tickets can complete their journeys as long as their ticket is valid when they board.
Prices and zones
Apart from criticisms about the duration, a number of passengers found the 10-minute tickets to be a bit expensive.
"It would be a really good idea if it's very cheap, like a euro or something like that," said Helsinki resident Ulla Väisänen.
She was surprised to learn the actual prices, which are 1.90 euros for passengers in Punavuori and Alppila and 2.20 euros for those in Vallila, Eira and Hernesaari.
HSL raised ticket prices at the beginning of this year.
The transport authority's prices are based on a zone system, which divides the capital region into four areas identified by the letters A, B, C and D.
For example a single adult ticket for the AB zone was raised to 3.20 euros (from 2.95 euros), while a ticket for all zones (ABCD) increased by 30 cents to 4.80 euros.
Customer research
According to HSL's ticket development unit chief, Rauno Särkkäaho, the short-duration ticket trial is part of customer research.
"We're looking to find out whether there's demand for short-term tickets and how prices affect demand," he said.
Särkkäaho emphasised that HSL was not currently testing a new line of tickets, for example for the city centre's A-zone, which many passengers would like to see.
Currently passengers only travelling within the A-zone still need to buy AB-zone tickets.
"Customers have expressed a desire for short trips, and that's why we're looking into what kind of demand there might be for it," he explained.
According to HSL, its passenger numbers have increased recently, but still hasn't reached pre-pandemic levels. Last year, more than 361 million passengers used HSL's services, compared to 396 million in 2019.
Late last month, an Yle straw poll found all party leaders in the Helsinki City Council agreed that public transport ticket prices should be more affordable.
They also unanimously agreed that HSL's ticket zones should be reformed to allow passengers to buy single-zone tickets in the downtown area, rather than the current two-zone requirement.
Edited for clarity, to correct that the 10-minute tickets are not 'discounted' but differently priced, and to note that customers need to buy a new ticket before the 10-minute ticket expires, or they need to leave the mode of transport.
Users with an Yle ID can leave comments on our news stories. You can create your Yle ID via this link. Our guidelines on commenting and moderation are explained here.
