Tourist tram to commence operations in Helsinki

Stiff ticket price not expected to hamper sales

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One additional tram will soon be clattering around the Helsinki tramlines, when a new streetcar aimed at tourists will commence its rounds in downtown Helsinki.
      The tram will have an onboard guide, who will introduce the sights along the route in Finnish, Swedish, and English.
      The tourist vehicle does its one-hour circuit four times a day. During the trip people can hop on and off wherever they want.
      The route has been planned in such a way that it will include architectural points of interest, choice destinations for families with children, and the specialities of the summertime Helsinki, such as the Hakaniemi Market Square with its summer delicacies and marquee cafes.
     
Managing director Timo Orilähde of Helsinki Expert, the company behind the idea, believes that the tram should attract plenty of passengers despite the ticket price, which is considerably higher than that of ordinary public trams.
      A basic day ticket costs EUR 17, a family ticket for the day EUR 39.
      “We have listened to feedback from customers, and there is plenty of demand. The tourist tram is particularly well suited for families with children as well as couples who are more advanced in age, who might see the ordinary public transportation as restless or even unsafe.”
      The company tries to attract tourists by “seeking to contact them actively”. In the Esplanadi Park and the Market Square, sales representatives wearing orange shirts offer tickets to passers-by.
      “This type of targeted services are often purchased on the spur of the moment, so the street presence is vital”, Orilähde explains.
     
The tram itself has been rented from Helsinki City Transport. It is a traditional green-liveried tram from the 1960s with the text “Sightseeing” decorating its sides.
      The aim is to attract 150 passengers per day. The tourist tram will operate from June 21st through to the end of August on the route shown in the illustration.


Links:
  Helsinki Expert Sightseeing Tram

Helsingin Sanomat