The planning of public transportation for summer 2026 has taken into account customer feedback, statistical information on passenger numbers, and the economic situation. Public transportation is being improved especially during times when demand is highest.
Most significant changes
The service frequency of trunk lines 1, 2, 3, and 5 increases on weekends compared to previous summer. Line 15N will not operate during the summer. Line 18, which has been on pause in previous summers, will run during the summer.
Summer season durations
The summer schedules for trunk lines 1, 2, 3, and 5 are valid from May 1 to August 30. Summer service for other lines starts on June 1 and ends on August 11.
On Midsummer Eve, June 19, buses will run according to the Saturday timetable, with trips departing at 2:00 PM and later not operating. Trips that depart before 2:00 PM will continue to the terminal stop. There will be no service on Midsummer Day, June 20.
Increasing the frequency of trunk lines
Compared to last summer, lines 1 Jylkynkangas–Metelinkangas and 5 Kaijonharju–Kivikkokangas have earlier morning departures. On both lines, the 20-minute interval starts after seven o’clock on weekdays. On weekends, line 1 runs at 20-minute intervals starting at 11 a.m. Line 5 operates on weekends at 30-minute intervals. Lines 2 Ritaharju–Metsokangas and 3 Aaltokangas–Metsokangas have 20-minute intervals starting after seven o’clock on weekdays. On weekends, lines 2 and 3 run at 20-minute intervals starting at 11 a.m.
Other changes
Single departures are added to lines 4 Herukka–Iinatti and 4A Herukka–Heikkilänkangas. The route of line 4N Keskusta–Heikkilänkangas is changing. Line 4N will no longer serve the Oritpuutantie terminal stop.
There will be occasional changes to departures on lines 7 Puolivälikangas–Saarela and 10 Koskela–Heikinharju. Timetables and departures for these lines are being adjusted as part of ensuring the overall functionality of the bus network.
The new line 10P Koskela–Ruskonselkä, which started in the fall, will also operate during the summer.
Night line 15N Nallikari–City center will be discontinued from 1 June 2026 due to low usage.
Additional departures will be added to night line 20N Haukipudas–City center, partly replacing the service of the discontinued line 15N between the city center and Länsi-Tuira.
The previously summer-break line 18 Kaijonharju–Mäntylä will operate during the summer. The line improves services in the Toppila area and balances passenger loads on line 21 Kellon Kiviniemi–Kaukovainio. Line 18 will operate on weekdays at 60-minute intervals from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Line 26 OSAO Haukipudas–Linja-autoasema runs two departures per day during the first week of June due to school transport. Haukipudas OSAO’s spring semester ends on 5 June 2026.
On weekdays, some departures of line 27 Ii–Oulu that run via the motorway will be changed to operate through Haukipudas, Herukka, Rajakylä, and Linnanmaa to the city center under the line number 23. This change responds to customer feedback and helps balance the passenger load of line 20B Martinniemi–OYS. On Saturdays and Sundays, one of the departures on line 23 will be operated as line 27 to maintain the reliability of the timetables of both lines.
The summer timetables for lines 40 Muhos–Oulu and 41 Muhos–Oulu will be adjusted to more closely match the winter service.
For line 50 Oulu–Haapamaa, one weekday departure will be removed, while line 51 Oulu–Kempele will increase by two departures. On Saturdays, the number of departures on line 51 decreases by four. On Sundays, one departure on line 50 will be removed, but one departure will be added to line 51. In the summer, a new night line 51N Oulu–Kempele will start, with a route running from the city center via Karjasilta and Höyhtyä to Poikkimaantie, continuing to Pohjantie. From Hiironen onwards, the route follows that of line 51. The night line runs every hour.
The timetable changes for summer on line 52A Lumijoki–Kuvernööri improve the reliability of the timetables and the punctuality of the service.
The new line 52N Kuvernööri–Liminka–Tyrnävä, which started in the fall, will run the same timetable in the summer as in the winter.
On line 54 Liminka–Tyrnävä–Kuvernööri, some departures will be replaced by line 54B Tyrnävä–Kuvernööri departures, as the number of passengers on the section between Liminka and Tyrnävä has been very low. Line 54B will run two additional departures on weekdays and Sundays and one extra departure on Saturdays. These changes will raise the level of service and make traveling by public transport more flexible.
Next summer, services will also run to Murto. Lines 56Z Tyrnävä–Murto–Zeppelin and 56B Murto–Tyrnävä offer transfer connections to the rest of the network in Tyrnävä and the Zeppelin area. Six additional weekday departures and two Friday evening departures will be added to line 56Z. Ten departures will be added on Saturdays.
Impact of the changes
In the summer, service will increase somewhat in the central urban area compared to the previous summer. On the other hand, extending the trunk line summer timetable into May and August reduces public transport services for those months. In regional traffic, the impact of the changes is smaller.
Summer public transport will be increased on the lines with the highest number of passengers. Targeting services to the lines with the greatest demand potential will further increase passenger numbers and lower the subsidy rate of the network in the long term.
As a result of the above-mentioned changes in the network and service levels, public transport costs will increase by a total of approximately 366,000 euros in May to August 2026 compared to the previous year.
However, the operating seasons cannot be directly compared to the previous corresponding period. The extension of the summer timetable for the trunk lines simultaneously brings cost savings for May and August. Despite the increase in summer operating costs, the enhancement of public transport is in line with the budgeted target. The need for subsidies will decrease by one million euros in 2026.