IIL Executive Director Andrus Nilisk

Crisis meeting must be convened to restore confidence in public transport

First of all, I would like to address you, dear passengers, who use the bus and train combination for your daily commute, both south-west and east-south. From the new week, Elron's timetables will change and once again, together with the train operator, we will not be able to guarantee a comfortable bus-train transfer network. The root cause of the problem is that the infrastructure company Eesti Raudtee does not plan the start of the repairs in a way that allows timely information to be sent to Elron and from there to the public transport centres. In turn, we would be able to make changes that are important for the passenger in time and inform our customers immediately.

The IIL received the information about the confirmed changes to the train paths only a few days ago, although the minimum time to implement the changes is 21 days. This includes changes to the timetables, coordination with the carriers (including changes to the carrier's working timetables) and informing passengers with reasonable notice. Only then can the passenger adapt his travel plans as necessary. The IIL staff will make every effort to ensure that all bus routes in the south-western direction, with the exception of route 199, will be able to connect with trains from 24.11.2025, as there are fewer connected routes than in the eastern direction, where we will unfortunately only be able to introduce the changes on 01.12.2025, including route 199.

The IIL thanks all passengers for their patience and calls on both the Ministry of Climate Change and Estonian Railways to set up a crisis committee as soon as possible, and to take into account other parties in this chain of changes. Let us remember that the most important thing in this chain is not the deadline for procurement but the passenger who uses the service.

We understand very well the importance of public transport for sustainable mobility and the well-being of society, and we are committed to improving the service. Making changes to such a large system overnight is not acceptable. The hope on the part of Eesti Raudtee that all parties have been given sufficient time to do so is naive, to say the least.

According to Elron, they have already had to change timetables nearly 20 times in the 47 weeks of this year! The overwhelming majority of these changes were initiated by the infrastructure company. When this happens, the changes are made by the drivers. If the changes are made overnight, it is clear that neither Elron, nor any other public transport operator, will be able to react in a reasonable way. The passenger suffers.

 

Looking to the future

It's nice to read development plans and hear important people talking about how people should start using public transport more. After all, private cars are so „evil“ - there are too many of them, they cause congestion and pollute the environment. Public transport will save the world! Agreed, but....

Maybe it's time to be a bit more honest? Looking at Estonia's public finances and the density (or rather sparsity) of our population, it is not difficult to conclude that public transport cannot reasonably be well accessible everywhere. Perhaps that's just as well, because in some areas a private car is the most sensible means of transport. Not as a bad habit or an environmental crime, but as a practical choice.

IIL does not force people to use public transport, but wants to provide convenient and fast transport and care for the environment, by using one or more modes of public transport or combined transport. The train is certainly convenient and fast and therefore preferred by passengers travelling in remote areas. For people who live within a one kilometre radius of a railway line, changes to the train timetable are less critical than for passengers who combine their travel, for example bus-train, over a much longer distance. Public transport is a business of certainty, and people trust it when it runs stably at certain times. If there are constant changes and no timely information to passengers, confidence is lost and people's decisions may be reversed in relation to the objectives set in the public transport development plan.

Even in Soviet times, there was a saying that „where the railway begins, the mind ends“. We have lived in a free society for over 30 years and we could let go of the old stamps. Estonian Railways and the Ministry of Climate Change, which is responsible for it, must realise that their customer is not Elron and hence the public transport centres, but the passenger who uses the service we provide. If this understanding is not forthcoming, there is no point in burying money that the state is already short of under rail transport. We understand what is emergency work and what is planned work. We are aware that public procurement does not always move at the pace that was planned at the outset, but we do not understand why no account is taken of the recipient of the service, who is the most important link in the chain. In recent years, we have read in the media how many millions have been lost from public transport, and yet we ourselves, by our actions, are scaring passengers away from the service and thereby foregoing ticket revenue, which, in the case of rail transport, for example, is almost 40%.

Andrus Nilisk

andrus@iil.ee

5050987

The whole IIL region includes : Harjumaa, Läänemaa, Lääne-Virumaa and Raplamaa.

The right to buy a discount ticket is:
- a person up to 19 years of age (incl.)
- Person aged 63 or over

As of 19.06.2023, the following have been assigned from the counties to Tallinn on incoming bus services stops within the administrative territory of the city which are accessible to passengers. for exit only.

On the outbound route from Tallinn, all stops in the timetable remain available for passengers to board and alight, regardless of the length of the journey.

To get off the bus, signal in good time by pressing the STOP button and move to the rear door as you approach the stop.

List of stops approved for departure only, by line:

  • Lines 106, 150, 151, 151A, 155, 159 (Laagna tee lines)

Priisle, Rauna, Kiviku, Mustakivi, Taevakivi, Laagna, Eagle shop, Paesilla, Mechanics School, Kumu, Vesivärava, Laulupeo, Tornimäe, Estonia, Vabaduse väljak, Hotel Tallinn, Balti jaam (Baltic Station)

  • Routes 104A, 104B, 104C, 106A, 106B, 106C, 152, 152A, 153, 154, 156, 157, 157A, 158 (St. Petersburg Road routes).

Väo, Pikamägi, Gaasi, Jüriöö Park, Suur-Paala, Väike-Paala, Sossimägi, Bus Station, Central Market, Tornimäe, Estonia, Vabaduse väljak, Hotel Tallinn, Baltic Station

The stops to get there are Kuuli, Lagedi tee, Vesse, Pae.

  • Buses 100, 170 (Laagna tee lines)

Priisle, Kumu, Bus Station, Central Market, Tornimäe, A.Laikmaa

The bus stops are Rauna, Kiviku, Mustakivi, Taevakivi, Laagna, Eagle shop, Paesilla, Mechanical school.

Buses 101, 171 (St. Petersburg Road lines)

Jüriöö Park, Suur-Paala, Väike-Paala, Sossimägi, Bus Station, Central Market, Tornimäe, A.Laikmaa

The stops to get there are Lagedi road, Väo, Pikamägi, Kuuli, Gaasi, Vesse, Pae.

  • Buses 102 (Narva mnt line)

Ussimäe tee, Priisle, Rauna, Kiviku, Mustakivi, Taevakivi, Laagna, Eagle shop, Liikuri, Lasnamägi, J.Poska, F.R.Kreutswaldi, Pronksi, Hobujaama, Linnahall, Baltic station

  • Line 103 (Suur-Sõjamäe tee)

Sõjamäe, Iron Concrete, Ruunaoja, Suur-Sõjamäe, Tobacco, Orto, Kesk-Sõjamäe, Ülemiste station, Sossimägi, Bus station Station

  • Buses 172 (Narva mnt line)

Ussimäe tee, Priisle, Black Stone, Sky Stone, Lagna, Eagle Shop, Paesilla, Mechanics School, Kumu, Waterfall, Song Festival, Tower Hill, A.Laikmaa

Stops to get there are Käära, Ristaia, Iru

  • Buses 173 (Pärnamäe tee line)

Laiaküla, Pärnamäe tee, Teletorn, Kloostrimetsa, Metsakalmistu, Kalmuse tee, Pirita, Lillepi, Maarjamägi, Lille Pavilion, Lauluväljak, J.Poska, Hobujaama, Linnahall, Mere puiestee, Balti jaam (Baltic station)

Stops to get there Käära, Ristaia

  • Lines 114, 115, 174

J.Poska, F.R.Kreutswaldi, Bronze, Hobujaama, Mere puiestee, Linnahall, Baltic Station

The entrance stops are Merivälja, Tuule tee, Aia tee, Kaasiku, Mähe tee, Randvere tee, Supluse puiestee, Pirita, Rummu, Lillepi, Maarjamägi, Lillepavilion, Lauluväljak.

  • Lines 108, 109, 111, 111A, 118, 118A, 122, 123, 123A, 126, 127, 128, 128A, 129, 136, 145, 146, 148, 149, 181

Looga, Humala, Lille, Taxi Park, Koidu, Vabaduse väljak, Hotel Tallinn, Baltic station

Bus stops on the way to Paldiski mnt for buses to Uuemäe, Paemurru, Järvekalda, Järveotsa tee, Sõudebaasi, Haabersti, Zoo, Pirni.

buses in the direction of Rannamõisa Printsu tee, Tähistaeva, Pikaliiva, Sõba, Haabersti, Zoo, Pirni

  • Line 124, 124A

Meistri, Autobussikoondis, E.Vilde tee, Männi, Chemistry, Mustamäe

Stops for access Järvekalda, Järveotsa tee, Väike-Õismäe, Kullerkupu, Nurmenuku.

  • Lines 107

Kadaka, Mustamäe, Chemistry, Liivaku, Lepistiku, Siili, Linnu tee, Taxi Park, Koidu, Vabaduse väljak, Hotel Tallinn, Baltic station

Stops for access are Uuemäe, Paemurru, Järvekalda, Järveotsa tee.

  • Line 119

Hõimu, J.V.Jannseni, Hiiu, Valdeku, Risti, Järve, Hallivanamehe, Kalev, Tallinn-Väike, Vineeri, Kosmos, Viru

Stops Nõlvaku, Vana-Pääsküla for the approach

  • Lines 117, 117A, 177

Lake, Hallivanamehe, Kalev, Tallinn-Väike, Plywood, Kosmos, Viru

Stops to get there are Männiku, Kauge, Pihlaka, P.Kerese, Karusmarja, Värava, Liiva station, Liiva, Risti.

  • Lines 178

Lake, Hallivanamehe, Kalev, Tallinn-Väike, Plywood, Kosmos, Estonia

Stops to get there are Raudalu, Kaarla, Raku, Liivametsa, Viljandi road.

  • Line 191

Valdeku, Risti, Järve, Hallivanamehe, Kalev, Tallinn-Väike, Plywood, Kosmos, Vabaduse-Väljak, Viru

Stops for access are Nõlvaku, Vana-Pääsküla, Vikerkaare, J.V. J.J. Jannseni, Hiiu

  • Line 163

Ehitajate tee, Liivaku, Vambola, Lepistiku, Siili, Linnu tee, Taksopark, Koidu, Vabaduse väljak, Estonia

Stops Nõlvaku, Vana-Pääsküla, Salve, Nõmme, University of Technology to get there.

  • Lines 116, 116A, 116B

Järve, Hallivanamehe, Kalev, Tallinn-Väike, Vineeri, Kosmos, Vabaduse väljak, Viru, Baltic station

Stops to get there are Raudalu, Kaarla, Raku, Liivametsa, Viljandi road.

  • Lines 105, 120, 120A, 121, 125, 125A, 130, 131, 132, 134, 135, 135A, 135C, 138, 139, 140, 141, 144, 162, 164 

Sossimägi, Central Market, Tornimäe, Estonia, Vabaduse väljak, Hotel Tallinn, Baltic Station

Stops to get there are Mõigu (except 132, 132A, 162), Airport, Lindakivi, Bus station.

  • Rapla county line 25

Lake, Hallivanamehe, Kalev, Tallinn-Väike, Plywood, Kosmos, Estonia

Stops to get there are Raudalu, Kaarla, Raku, Liivametsa, Viljandi road.

  • Rapla county line 30

Hiiu, Risti, Kalev, Tallinn-Väike, Vineeri, Kosmos, Estonia

For the entrance, the stop is Vana-Pääsküla

  • West-Viru County line 18V

Black Stone, Eagle shop, Laulupeo, Tornimäe, Estonia, Vabaduse Square, Hotel Tallinn, Baltic Station

  • Läänemaa line 712

Järveotsa road, Rowing base, Taxi park, Tallinn bus station

  • Läänemaa line 732

Järve, Tallinn bus station

For the entrance, the stop is Vana-Pääsküla

  • On Harju county routes 160, 180E and 199, all stops in Tallinn are for boarding.

Season tickets are valid for 30 days and entitle you to use IIL buses an unlimited number of times during this period. The ticket is valid in the selected zone or in all zones in Läänemaa.

Season tickets are valid for 30 days and entitle you to use IIL buses an unlimited number of times during this period. The ticket is valid in the selected zone or in all zones of Raplamaa.

Season tickets are valid for 30 days and entitle you to use IIL buses an unlimited number of times during this period. The ticket is valid in selected zones in Harju County or in the entire IIL region.

Shared tickets are valid for 30 days in selected fare zones. During this period, you can use IIL buses, Tallinn city trains and, with the corresponding ticket, Elron trains an unlimited number of times.

Map of price zones

On route 1A, zone West1 season tickets are valid. These entitle you to use all IIL buses an unlimited number of times in the zone or zones of your choice for 30 days.

Season tickets are valid for 30 days and entitle you to use IIL buses an unlimited number of times during this period. The ticket is valid in the selected zone or in all zones in West-Viru County.

With an individual ticket, you can transfer to other IIL routes during the validity of the ticket. The validity period depends on the number of zones:

  • single zone ticket - 60 minutes
  • two-zone ticket - 90 minutes
  • three-zone ticket - 120 minutes
  • four-zone ticket - 150 minutes
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