Public transport users in Helsinki will soon pay more for occasional travel beyond their regular zones. The Helsinki Regional Transport Authority (HSL) will eliminate discounted extension tickets for season pass holders starting next year.
Season ticket holders currently pay reduced rates when traveling to adjacent zones outside their regular coverage. Under the new policy, they must purchase full-priced single tickets for these journeys.
Jani Merimaa from HSL explained the change aims to simplify ticket products and technical systems. He said the current system requires too many customer group selections in the mobile app.
Extension tickets allow travel from central Helsinki to locations like the airport when users hold AB zone season passes but need occasional C zone access. The discounted option disappears entirely in the coming year.
Customers bought approximately 5.3 million euros worth of discounted extension tickets annually. Merimaa acknowledged these represent only a small portion of overall single ticket sales.
The current two-zone single ticket costs 3.20 euros, while a one-zone extension costs 2.88 euros. Both prices will increase next year.
Finding the discounted extension ticket already challenges mobile app users. The option doesn't appear automatically and requires navigating through multiple menu selections.
Merimaa couldn't estimate how many customers purchase full-priced tickets simply because they cannot find the extension option. No data exists on this issue.
The policy change reflects a common pattern where simplification measures often come with customer cost increases. Transport authorities worldwide increasingly prioritize operational efficiency over maintaining niche discount options.