Public transport penalty fare to rise to EUR 100 in Helsinki Region Transport

The Ministry of Transport and Communications has amended the Decree on Penalty Fares in Public Transport. The amendment to increase the penalty fare from EUR 80 to EUR 100 in public transport provided by Helsinki Region Transport will enter into force on 1 January 2024.

Helsinki Region Transport has proposed to the Ministry of Transport and Communications that the penalty fare for public transport be raised from the current EUR 80 to EUR 100. Helsinki Region Transport Authority consists of the municipalities of Espoo, Helsinki, Kauniainen, Kerava, Kirkkonummi, Sipoo, Siuntio, Tuusula and Vantaa.

The aim is to reduce the number of passengers who do not hold a valid ticket and the risk of being caught and a penalty fare is a way to impact the situation. The penalty fare has been EUR 80 in the Helsinki Region since 2007 while the prices of tickets and the general cost level have risen. The penalty fare should follow the development of ticket prices so that the economic benefit of public transport for ticket holders becomes clear.

Under the Act on Penalty Fares in Public Transport, the penalty fare is at most 40 times the lowest price for a single adult bus ticket in the area. At 2024 ticket prices, the penalty fare could not exceed EUR 118 in Helsinki Region Transport.

When the penalty fare is compared with other penalty payments, the fee of EUR 100 would not differ significantly from, for example, a traffic violation fee that is between 20 and 200 euros, depending on the nature of the infringement or a parking fine that is at most EUR 80.

According to the information provided by Helsinki Region Transport, the majority received a penalty fare only once or occasionally while a small minority received a penalty fare six or more times. The purpose of increasing the penalty fare is to enhance the impact especially on those who have received it only once or occasionally.

No changes have been proposed to the amount of the public transport penalty fare in Tampere and Jyväskylä.

Next steps

The increase in the penalty fare will enter into force in the Helsinki Region Transport area as of 1 January 2024.

Inquiries:

Tiia Orjasniemi, Ministerial Adviser, tiia.orjasniemi(at)gov.fi, tel. +358 295 342 068