Turku Region Public Transport Föli’s new bus route network, called the trunk line network, will be implemented in 2021. The Turku City Board decided on the funding for the trunk line network this past week, following the Turku City Region’s Public Transport Committee’s decision at the end of January on the routes to be presented to the City Board.

The renewal aims at improving ease of travel, creating better transverse connections and shortening intervals between departures. At the same time, the line network will be streamlined and the hierarchy between lines clarified.

The backbone of the new bus line network will consist of ten trunk lines. In addition to these, the line network will include feeder lines, supplementary lines and specialised school and service lines. While the changes will be most notable for Turku’s internal bus lines and some of the regional lines, the update will improve accessibility throughout Föli’s operating area.

- Turku is aiming for sustainable modes of transport to exceed a 66% share of all transports by 2030. Investing in public transport is essential for achieving this goal. The trunk line network will increase public transport by 20% in the Föli area compared to the current situation, says Head of Public Transport Planning Lauri Jorasmaa from Föli.

Significant improvements to bus intervals

The trunk lines will operate primarily at 5–10 minute intervals, which will be a significant improvement in many areas compared to the current service frequency. The improvements will be most notable in regard to weekend and holiday transport. Service hours will also be extended: the trunk lines and some of the feeder lines will operate past midnight on weekdays.

One of the key aspects of the renewal is the circular trunk line, which will facilitate transverse travel within the city. The circular trunk line runs from Uittamo via Skanssi to Kupittaa and Räntämäki. On the western side of the city, the line splits into two branches, one of which continues along Markulantie and via Suikkilantie to the Port, while the other runs via Mylly to the centre of Raisio and potentially on to the Perno shipyard. The actual route in Raisio depends on the decision of the City of Raisio.

The focus of the line network planning will now shift to more detailed timetable planning, which will be carried out concurrently with the ongoing development of public transport benefits, bus stop infrastructure and passenger information. The actual bus traffic will be put out to tender this upcoming winter.

The line network map can be viewed and commented upon at foli.fi/en/trunk-line-network.

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