Both residents of Saaremaa and Hiiumaa have previously expressed strong opposition to increasing ferry ticket prices, arguing that amid rising living costs and various government cuts, such a move would further burden islanders and their economy compared to the rest of Estonia, "Aktuaalne kaamera" news reported.

According to Minister of Regional Affairs Piret Hartman, ferry ticket prices will remain unchanged at least for next year. "We can confirm that ferry ticket prices will not increase," Hartman said.

However, flight ticket prices to the islands will rise. Starting February 1, 2024, tickets to Kuressaare will cost €36 and to Kärdla €34. Ferry route subsidies and schedules will also see reductions.

"Local residents who qualify for ticket discounts will still receive them, but only those registered as residents by January 1 will be eligible, not those who register at the beginning of summer. Student discounts will apply to those under 26. As for the frequency of ferry routes, we are reviewing utilization rates. For routes with low usage, we aim to find opportunities for cost savings. For Saaremaa, we have identified about 170 connections that are minimally used," Hartman explained.

Ferry operator TS Laevad stated that it is not yet ready to comment on which trips may be removed from the schedule, as it has not received confirmation from the ministry.

The number of trips on both routes (between the mainland and Saaremaa and the mainland and Hiiumaa – ed.) is expected to decrease by approximately 1 percent. This means around 170 fewer trips on the Virtsu-Kuivastu route and 50 fewer on the Rohuküla-Heltermaa route. The reductions will not affect summer or weekend schedules.

"The savings from these cuts are negligible compared to the overall budget deficit. Whether we like it or not, we will eventually have to admit that these cuts alone will not cover the public transportation deficit," said Saaremaa Municipal Mayor Mikk Tuisk.

While ministries have designated ferry services as essential, unlike bus and rail transport, the funding for ferries remains within the same budget category as buses and trains. Ferry passengers also bear the highest share of costs compared to other public transportation options.

"When we talk about the connection between Saaremaa and the mainland, the passenger contribution here is the highest compared to bus or rail transport," Hartman added.

Hiiumaa Municipality opposed to slashing ferry trips

Hiiumaa Municipal Mayor Hergo Tasuja noted that he has heard the state is considering reducing the number of annual ferry departures between Hiiumaa and the mainland by about 50 trips. Tasuja does not view this reduction as reasonable, given that ferry passenger numbers have grown faster than the number of trips in recent years.

"Statistics clearly show this. Take 2018, the year Hiiumaa Municipality was established. Since then, the number of trips has increased by 10 percent, while the number of vehicles transported has grown by 22 percent. In other words, demand has grown more than twice as fast as the number of trips. This is the clearest indication of why our expectation every year is for a denser ferry schedule," Tasuja explained.

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