To reduce the CO2 footprint of the routes between Turku (TKU) and Tampere (TMP), Finnair announced that, as of summer 2022, the airline will not only resume flights to these Finnish destinations, but will also add a new bus connection between the two. Turku and Tampere are among some of the shortest routes found in Finnair’s network, but, compared to other routes, the route emissions load per passenger is heavier.

“Combining different modes of transport is an important tool in reducing carbon emissions from transport, and it is also in line with Finland’s national emission reduction targets,” said Perttu Jolma, vice president of Traffic Planning, Finnair. “Turku and Tampere are an important part of our network. Traveling on these routes focuses on international exchange travel, and we want to continue to offer the best range of connections to customers in the regions.”

A 2019 study based on Finnair’s customer data found guests departing from Turku or Tampere were already using non-flight connections to reach Helsinki. With just a 35-minute flight between Turku and Tampere, the concept of an alternative mode of transport becomes a strong possibility.

Flights as short as this one are usually operated when terrain is rough to traverse by other means, but Turku and Tampere routes are far from containing the difficult landscapes seen elsewhere around the world. The addition of a straight bus connection would reduce CO2 emissions as well as allow customers already traveling to Helsinki by car another way to reach the airport.

The bus connection tickets for Turku and Tampere will go on sale in late spring 2022. The bus stops are located at Tampere and Turku airports and city centers and the bus connection tickets will only be sold together with connecting flights via Finnair.