Photo: Raul Mee
In 2026, the Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture awarded the Silver Decoration of Merit to Andrus Niliski, the Executive Director of the NGO North-Estonian Public Transport Centre (IIL), whose consistent work has significantly modernised the organisation of public transport in Harju County, Rapla County, Läänemaa and Lääne-Viru County.
Silver decoration
The Silver Order of Merit of the Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture is a high national award given to individuals, for effective cooperation with the Ministry or for successful work in the Ministry, in an institution or in a field within the scope of government
Andrus Niliski, Head of the North-Estonian Joint Transport Centre was awarded the mark will be presented with a token of appreciation at a reception to mark the 108th anniversary of the Republic of Estonia in 2026:
He has made a major contribution to the development of public transport in Northern Estonia and to strengthening regional cooperation. His greatest achievement is the development and management of a strong and well-functioning organisation, the North-Estonian Public Transport Centre, which coordinates public transport in four counties on the basis of common principles. Under his leadership, a unified period ticket and trip planner has been created, linking Elron's train lines, Tallinn City Transport's urban lines and the county bus lines, improving the ease of use and transparency of the service. It has also launched real-time bus tracking on county lines and increased the focus on sustainable vehicles in procurement. In addition, it has intensified cooperation with local authorities and developed a clear strategic vision to support the development of high quality, reliable and modern public transport throughout the region.
Andrus Nilisk - from background to managing director
Andrus Nilisk is a logistics engineer, graduated from Tallinn University of Technology in 2001.
Prior to joining the North-Estonian Public Transport Centre, Nilisk worked as Deputy Mayor of the municipality of Kose, where one of his main tasks was the organisation of public transport in Kose municipality. He has also been an active citizen of Anija municipality, a member of the Anija municipality council and chairman of the economic committee.
The lessons of private sector logistics are clearly visible in Niliski's management style. Long-term experience in supply chain optimisation has brought a data-driven mindset to public transport planning: routes, timetables and connections are not immutable, but primarily a system tailored to the needs of the passenger. The private sector's customer-centric approach, where understanding the reasons why passengers choose the bus rather than the car is as important as the cost of the route, has brought a fresh perspective to public service design.
Starting work at the Centre
On 3 August 2020, Nilisk took up his new position as Executive Director of the organisation. Nilisk applied for the post with a clear vision: quality of service is not less important than price, and better interoperability between different modes of transport, train and bus, should be the way forward.
„I applied for this post with the idea of managing and organising public transport in a non-political way. In my vision, there needs to be more cooperation between the different modes of transport; and, if the financial means are there, more buses on the routes, which means more frequent timetables.“
explained Nilisk on his candidacy in 2020.
Achievements in the organisation of public transport
Under Niliski's leadership, the NGO North-Estonian Joint Transport Centre has grown to become one of the most important regional organisers of public transport in Estonia, providing bus transport in four counties for more than 11 million passengers a year. In 2025, a brand renewal was carried out, during the course of which the organisation received a new public brand IIL.
Under Niliski's leadership, the Centre has migrated to a modern zone-based ticketing system, expanded card payment options and developed digital travel planning solutions to enhance passenger convenience. He has actively proposed consolidating public transport in the Tallinn region, among others (but not only), showing that the current fragmentation between the City of Tallinn, Elron and the Centre is not in the interest of passengers. In addition, there have been changes to the route network and the opening of new routes in response to the changing needs of passengers.
„The future of the IIL is not just about bus services, but about integrating all modes of public transport into a coherent whole.“
stressed Nilisk on the renaming of the organisation in June 2025.
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:
Priisle, Rauna, Kiviku, Mustakivi, Taevakivi, Laagna, Eagle shop, Paesilla, Mechanics School, Kumu, Vesivärava, Laulupeo, Tornimäe, Estonia, Vabaduse väljak, Hotel Tallinn, Balti jaam (Baltic Station)
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.
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.
Ussimäe tee, Priisle, Rauna, Kiviku, Mustakivi, Taevakivi, Laagna, Eagle shop, Liikuri, Lasnamägi, J.Poska, F.R.Kreutswaldi, Pronksi, Hobujaama, Linnahall, Baltic station
Sõjamäe, Iron Concrete, Ruunaoja, Suur-Sõjamäe, Tobacco, Orto, Kesk-Sõjamäe, Ülemiste station, Sossimägi, Bus station Station
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
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
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.
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
Meistri, Autobussikoondis, E.Vilde tee, Männi, Chemistry, Mustamäe
Stops for access Järvekalda, Järveotsa tee, Väike-Õismäe, Kullerkupu, Nurmenuku.
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.
Hõimu, J.V.Jannseni, Hiiu, Valdeku, Risti, Järve, Hallivanamehe, Kalev, Tallinn-Väike, Vineeri, Kosmos, Viru
Stops Nõlvaku, Vana-Pääsküla for the approach
Lake, Hallivanamehe, Kalev, Tallinn-Väike, Plywood, Kosmos, Viru
Stops to get there are Männiku, Kauge, Pihlaka, P.Kerese, Karusmarja, Värava, Liiva station, Liiva, Risti.
Lake, Hallivanamehe, Kalev, Tallinn-Väike, Plywood, Kosmos, Estonia
Stops to get there are Raudalu, Kaarla, Raku, Liivametsa, Viljandi road.
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
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.
Järve, Hallivanamehe, Kalev, Tallinn-Väike, Vineeri, Kosmos, Vabaduse väljak, Viru, Baltic station
Stops to get there are Raudalu, Kaarla, Raku, Liivametsa, Viljandi road.
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.
Lake, Hallivanamehe, Kalev, Tallinn-Väike, Plywood, Kosmos, Estonia
Stops to get there are Raudalu, Kaarla, Raku, Liivametsa, Viljandi road.
Hiiu, Risti, Kalev, Tallinn-Väike, Vineeri, Kosmos, Estonia
For the entrance, the stop is Vana-Pääsküla
Black Stone, Eagle shop, Laulupeo, Tornimäe, Estonia, Vabaduse Square, Hotel Tallinn, Baltic Station
Järveotsa road, Rowing base, Taxi park, Tallinn bus station
Järve, Tallinn bus station
For the entrance, the stop is Vana-Pääsküla
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.
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:
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