Linkki is now responsible for public transport in seven municipalities
Link's operations expanded from the 2024 Jyväskylä–Laukaa–Muurame area to the surrounding municipalities of Äänekoski, Hankasalmi and Petäjävete. Äänekoski's traffic will still operate in its current form until June 2.6.2024, XNUMX. Äänekoski's traffic is tendered during the winter, and in the summer, the operators who won the tender will start serving Äänekoski with Linkki-branded rolling stock.
What will happen in the spring of 2024
- The traffic in Äänekoski and Hankasalmi operates until the start of summer traffic, i.e. 2.6. until now as the former, i.e. as regional transport tendered by the ELY Center.
- Linkki lines 38, 38R and 38K have been running between Toivaka and Jyväskylä as a purchase service for several years. This traffic will continue as before for the time being.
- Transport between Petäjävesi and Jyväskylä is market-based public transport, with Matka Mäkelä Oy continuing as operator. There are no changes to traffic in these prospects.
- Tendering for Äänekoski transport, the new operator will be determined by 3/2024 at the latest.
- Tendering for Hankasalmi transport, the new operator will be determined by 3/2024 at the latest.
- Travel in regional traffic still with Matkahuolto tickets or the operators' own ticket products. For the time being, you can only travel with Link's Waltti travel card in Jyväskylä, Lauka and Muurame.
- The payment zones for the new Linkki area will be decided by the public transport board in 2/2024.
- Ticket products and prices will be decided by the Public Transport Board in spring 2024.
- The network of ticket sales points will be reviewed and points of sale will be added as possible
- Timetable and ticket information is still best found on the websites of regional transport operators and Matkahuolto.
- The Linkki service point (Asemakatu 7 Jyväskylä) advises and guides, if possible, also in matters of regional transport
Summer traffic 2024
- Starts on Monday 3.6.
- The operators who won the competition will start operating to Äänekoski and Hankasalmi with Linkki-branded rolling stock.
- There will be no changes to the shift offer in the initial phase.
- Waltti ticket products and payment zones for use in the entire region.
- The same digital services (route guide, contactless payment, mobile applications) can be used in the entire Linkki area.
- Travel chains become smoother when you can travel in the entire Linkki area with a Waltti ticket, both in regional traffic, local traffic and market-based traffic.
In Jyväskylä, Laukaa and Muurame, at the beginning of summer traffic in 2024, a line reform will be implemented, in connection with which some line numbers and routes will change. The general service level of public transport will be improved e.g. by introducing a new fleet of electric cars and improving the shift supply. The new Super-Links will also start operating on the most popular public transport routes.
The regional expansion is part of the MAL cooperation between the state and municipalities
The expansion of the Linkki area is based on the MAL agreement on land use, housing and traffic in the Jyväskylä urban area, which was concluded between the municipalities and the state.
In the MAL contract period 2021–23, a report was made regarding the expansion of the public transport area, according to which there were conditions for expanding the public transport area of jurisdiction. The cooperation was estimated to promote almost all the goals set for the development of public transport in the MAL agreement. The survey was carried out in close interaction with the municipalities of the MAL region and the ELY center.
In the report, public transport services were examined from the point of view of the municipalities in Link's area of jurisdiction (Jyväskylä, Laukaa and Muurame), the municipalities considering joining (Hankasalmi, Petäjävesi, Toivakka, Uurainen and Äänekoski) and the ELY center.
Based on the survey, the municipalities Hankasalmi, Petäjävesi, Toivakka and Äänekoski decided to merge into Link's authority area. Jyväskylä, Laukaa and Muurame each accepted the joining, and the city of Jyväskylä acting as the municipality responsible for organizing public transport. The amendment to the law regarding the area of jurisdiction of the competent authority for road traffic in the Jyväskylä region entered into force on January 1.1.2024, XNUMX.
Jyväskylä, Laukaa, Muurame, Äänekoski, Petäjävesi, Toivakka and Hankasalmi have signed a mutual cooperation agreement, which has agreed on the goals, tasks, joint working groups, institution, financial monitoring, sharing of costs, monitoring of the contract and possible withdrawal from the jurisdiction .
News published, modified 16.1.2024 at 13:05