Last year, the North-Estonia Public Transport Center, which operates in Harju County, Lääne County, Lääne-Viru County and Rapla County, carried 11 million passengers. Andrus Nilisk, the center's director, said he plans to almost double the number of passengers.

"We have set ourselves a target of 20 million passengers a year by July 1, 2028," said Nilisk.

He noted that there has already been an increase in bus passengers. Last year, for example, passenger numbers rose by ten percent. Nilisk believes that in future people will also be attracted to buses due to the addition of a charge for CO2 emissions to the cost of fuel.

"We don't know how big it will be. There has been talk of anything from 10 cents to €1.50," said Nilisk, who said this was an option that ought to be taken. "When the coronavirus period ended and the price of fuel went up to €2, the number of bus passengers increased by about 30 percent compared to the previous year. If car travel is made so expensive, then alternatives will be sought."

However, Nilisk also pointed out that without buses on the roads, the ambitious plans will not come to fruition. "This year, the public transport center covers around 20 million line kilometers. In order to serve 20 million passengers, a minimum of 25 million line kilometers would be needed," said Nilisk.

However, that requires extra money. Given the need for additional line-kilometers and the fact that contracts with transport providers will become more expensive in any case, Nilisk said that in five years' time, around an extra €15 million would be needed.

It's still the case that there is no money, even though there is a need," said Nilisk. "This is where solutions have to be found."

Nilisk: Solution in hands of politicians

The public transport sector is chronically short of money. At the end of last year, extra funds were found from the government's reserves. This year, however, a similar-sized hole still needs to be filled. In January, the Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture announced a shortfall of more than €20 million in this year's budget for bus transport.

According to Andrus Nilisk, that does not mean the ambitious plan is running out of steam. "In fact, we have also made a proposal to the ministry regarding where the money should come from. This solution is in the politicians' hands right now," Nilisk said.

He said that, in the view of state representatives, trains ought to be the backbone of the public transportation system. "If we look at the current situation, where all train passengers pay the same so that pensioners and students can get a discount, and the regional bus is free for them. So trains can never be the backbone," said Nilisk,

"We will probably have to make all bus passengers pay for their journeys. And the other issue is that these benefits need to be harmonized," he added.

Pre-school children, people with profound disabilities, people with severe visual impairments and all children with disabilities can travel free of charge. Pensioners, schoolchildren and students get reduced fares on the train.

On regional lines, all people up to the age of 19 and aged 63 and above travel free of charge. All people with at least a moderate disability are also entitled to free travel.

"We have taken into account that if we make fares the same for all passengers, we will reduce the number of journeys by about 20 percent," said Nilisk. However, he pointed out that 68 percent of current bus passengers do not need to pay for a ticket. "Maybe, in fact, all that money is hiding there in the free part."

The North-Estonia Public Transport Center has calculated that if pensioners and students were required to buy tickets, the center would save approximately €3 million.

"If we could put that €3 million back into the route network, then that would be a win," said Nilisk.

"We've also calculated that in five years' time, that fare revenue would be about €13 million. If we are talking about a €15 million increase in costs over five years, then the state would have to put in a few million euros more, but it would be able to offer people a lot more service for that money."

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