The coach bus operator had submitted its request for an additional inbound stop around Rävala puiestee this past summer.

According to Lux Express board member Ingmar Roos, this is an optimal location, because it would ensure the shortest route to downtown upon arrival in the Estonian capital, and after this stop, buses could continue directly on to Tallinn Bus Station.

"Extending bus routes for Tartu and Central Estonian residents to downtown Tallinn would improve the competitiveness of public transport as well as reduce traffic, since passengers heading downtown would no longer have to catch a cab or rideshare from the bus station," Roos wrote.

The city, however, is not on board with this proposal.

Speaking to ERR, Deputy Mayor Kristjan Järvan (Isamaa) said that bringing long-distance coach buses into the city center would increase traffic.

"The growth of Tallinn's population is increasing the traffic burden on the street network, making it crucial to find ways to diffuse and reduce traffic," Järvan said.

"Directing [incoming] long-distance coach buses into the city center would have the opposite effect, increasing congestion," he continued. "This is the main reason why the city doesn't support this proposal."

The deputy mayor further pointed out that the location on Rävala puiestee that Lux Express had proposed does not meet road safety requirements and is not designed to function as a bus stop.

"There is no suitable pavaement or infrastructure for buses to stop there," he explained.

According to Järvan, the central bus station is already located in the city center, and has excellent public transport connections downtown via both tram and city bus.

An integrated tram stop and long-distance bus stops also already provide a direct connection to Tallinn Airport.

"True, this option is currently unavailable, because tram service to the airport has been temporarily suspended due to the construction of the Rail Baltica terminal," he acknowledged. "But the situation should improve by the end of 2025, when tram service to the airport is restored."

Bus operator not giving up yet

Järvan also emphasized that the city can't make exceptions for one company, since this would lead other long-distance bus operators to likewise request similar downtown stops.

This makes the bus company's proposed solution unfeasible, "Especially since the planned main street project will further restrict motor vehicle traffic in the city center."

In its letter, Lux Express countered that a downtown stop would in fact actually ensure the equal treatment of various operators, referring to county buses that currently stop outside of Solaris Center.

Järvan, however, said that even those stops are likely only temporary.

"As for county bus routes, in the long term, it would be a good idea to disperse their downtown stops as well to reduce traffic," he added.

Roos dismissed the city's cited reasons as unclear, adding that the company plans to reopen discussions with the City of Tallinn regarding a downtown stop, as both the need and opportunities for one have increased.

"Reconstruction work on Lastekodu tänav starting in March will close Odra tänav, making it very inconvenient for passengers to continue their journeys from Tallinn Bus Station," the Lux Express board member pointed out, stating that a downtown stop must be made available to prevent passenger inconvenience and frustration.

"Meanwhile, new opportunities have also emerged regarding where and under what conditions more precisely a downtown stop could be established," he added.

Lux Express' interest in a downtown stop is also linked to work being done at Central Estonia's Mäo junction, which would add a stop to the operator's Tartu-Tallinn buses. According to the company, a downtown stop would offset the additional time incurred by stopping at Mäo.

"The number of Lux Express buses that will start stopping at Mäo will be determined once the possibility of Tartu-Tallinn buses being able to stop in downtown Tallinn has been figured out," Roos said.

"If buses arriving from Tartu are able to bring passengers downtown, we're prepared to add a stop at Mäo to all of our on-the-hour departures," he confirmed. "In this case, the time spent on stopping at Mäo and decrease in efficiency would be offset by the chance to reach downtown directly."

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