Hop-On Hop-Off bus to run to Sipoonkorpi National Park again this summer 

The bus service will make Sipoonkorpi National Park easily accessible and encourage visitors to use public transport. The bus service will also improve the parking situation near the national park.

The route is a joint effort by three municipalities

The Hop-On Hop-Off bus route will run from Tikkurila through the Koivukylä station and Kuusijärvi to Nikkilä, Sipoo. From there, the bus will travel through Sipoo Old Church, Sipoonjoki smoke sauna and Korvenportti to the Itäkeskus metro station. The final stops of the route are Tikkurila, Nikkilä and Mellunmäki. This summer, the route will have 17 stops whereas last year there were only 15.

“The route has been renewed and the service will be available later into the autumn. We hope that the new stops will make more and more people come to Sipoonkorpi National Park to enjoy nature and grill at the campfire sites. There are also many other destinations along the route that can be easily explored by the Hop-On Hop-Off bus,” says Katri Roivainen, Head of Economic Development at Sipoo.

The bus service is a joint effort of the municipality of Sipoo and the cities of Vantaa and Helsinki.

“We want to help further improve the accessibility of Sipoonkorpi National Park. Having the final stop of the bus route in Itäkeskus in the vicinity of the metro station provides Helsinki residents and tourists with an easy and ecological connection to the national park,” says Nina Vesterinen, Tourism Director at the City of Helsinki.

Five-euro day ticket to the national park

Ventoniemi Oy won the competitive tendering for the route, and the route will no longer be driven using a low-floor bus like it was in 2022–2023. Dogs are also welcome on board.

The price of a day ticket is EUR 5, and a one-way single ticket costs EUR 3. Children under the age of 7 travel for free. Tickets are bought from the driver and paid with either cash or card. Having the exact change is preferred so that people can get on the bus as smoothly as possible.

HSL bus to also continue running

The HSL bus line 712 will continue its operations this year. During the summer season, from 4 May to 29 October 2024, the bus will run every hour at the weekends between Tikkurila and Kuusijärvi. The HSL bus line will run to Kuusijärvi via Hakunila A new terminus will be introduced at the Kuusijärvi car park. The Laurintie and Vanha Porvoontie route section will no longer be included in the route. Regular HSL tickets are accepted as tickets.

“Next summer, Vantaa residents will be able to reach the Kuusijärvi beach ecologically using two bus connections. When you use a bus to reach your destination, especially at the weekend, there will be no problems with parking,” says Anniina Laitala, who coordinates the Kuusijärvi site.

Route grew in popularity last year

The popularity of the Sipoonkorpi Hop-On Hop-Off bus grew again last summer. During the time the bus route was available, from 13 May 2023 to 1 October 2023, a total of nearly 1,100 trips were taken. Over the entire operating period, the increase was 26 per cent compared to 2022.

The most popular months for travel were May–August, when the number of trips taken increased by a whopping 57 per cent compared to the previous year. On the other hand, September was quieter than the previous year and the number of trips decreased by 21 per cent from 2022.

Last year, the majority of passengers using the Sipoonkorpi Hop-On Hop-Off bus came on board the bus at the Mellunmäki metro station. The second most popular stop was located in Tikkurila. As in 2022, the most popular stops in Sipoonkorpi were the Korvenportti and Bakunkärri stops.

The most popular stops on the HSL line 712 were the bus route terminuses at Tikkurilan matkakeskus (Tikkurila Travel Centre) and the Kuusijärvi parking area. A total of 4,600 trips were made during the operating period. The most popular months for travel were July, September, and October, each with around 1,100 trips completed.

“We hope that cooperation for the development of public transport connections in Kuusijärvi can be continued in the future. The City of Vantaa is developing the area with the goal of taking into account its environmental values. Good and low-emission transport connections are an essential part of this work,” says Anniina Laitala.

Timetable and route map of Sipoonkorpi Hop-On Hop-Off bus

www.sipoo.fi/en/hoponhopoff
www.vantaa.fi/fi/sipoonkorpi-hop-hop

The route will soon be added to the HSL Journey Planner.