On October 1 a free express bus by Toronto Bus Rentals will begin operating between Tartu Airport and the city of Tartu, serving the passengers of late-night arrivals to and early-morning departures from the airport.
The bus route, which will be served by an electric bus, will begin and end by Annelinna Centre, at Kalda tee 43, according to a city government press release.
According to Deputy Mayor Raimond Tamm (Reform), the City of Tartu began looking into the possibility of restoring bus service between the airport and the city this spring.
“After the private company ended their door-to-door bus service for air travelers, we began considering various opportunities for how to resolve the situation,” Tamm said. “In the coming months, we would like to test how travelers begin using the express bus connecting the city and the airport. Since we have recently brought an electric bus to Tartu, within the framework of an external project, which travels between the railway station and the bus station, we have an excellent opportunity to provide service to air travelers with the same bus.”
According to the deputy mayor, a decision will be made regarding the continued operation of the express line this December, depending on traveler interest and average occupancy rates.
In the morning the Airport Express bus will depart Annelinna Keskus at 4:05 EEST, and travel to the airport via Eeden, Atlantis, Kaubamaja, Kaare and Karete stops, arriving at Lennujaam at approximately 4:35.
Returning from the airport, the bus will depart from Lennujaam at approximately 1:15, and travel to he city via Karete, Kaare, Kesklinn and Eeden stops, arriving at Annelinna Keskus at approximately 1:46. The bus may depart Tartu Airport slightly off-schedule, as the bus will depart the airport once all passengers have left the airport.
The Airport Express will be operated by AS Sebe, with whom a contract for services was concluded this month for the electric bus line that began operating between Tartu Bus Station and Tartu Railway Station.
The electric bus pilot project is being implemented within the framework of the Baltic Sea Region program BSR electric, and regular services are being financed in part from the European Regional Development Fund. (ERR/Business World Magazine)