Deputy Mayor for Transport Kristjan Järvan (Isamaa) said it is neither justified nor efficient for county buses to circle the Old Town and then stand idle at the station.

This increases traffic congestion and costs Harju County taxpayers approximately one million euros per year, he said.

Järvan said passengers will retain good access to downtown Tallinn even after the change. Under the plan, all county lines will continue to serve the city center, passing through two to three different logistical hubs.

Some lines will still end at the main station, but most will be rerouted to turn around at the roundabout on Mere puiestee, Estonia puiestee, or Kaarli puiestee. This way, buses will also stop at the Estonia Theater, Viru keskus, or Freedom Square stops.

Tallinn Transport Department Director Indrek Gailan added that the goal is to improve traffic and transport management in the city center.

"We've observed that most county bus users end their journey in the city center, and hundreds of buses arrive at Balti Station nearly empty every day. According to Tallinn Transport Department's monitoring, during the morning rush hour, county buses arriving at Balti Station carry an average of 1.5 passengers per bus. The kilometers saved from running empty buses could be used to provide better public transport service in the nearby municipalities," said Gailan.

Although the contract for the Balti jaam parking area is valid until autumn, the changes will begin on August 1.

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