Sustainable forms of transport

The nature surrounding Espoo and the city’s comprehensive network of walking and cycling routes offer excellent opportunities for getting around by bike or on foot. Most of the walking and cycling routes are maintained in the winter. Some of the routes are park paths or hiking routes that are only in use in the summer. More information on the safety of walking and cycling in Espoo is available on our the website under Traffic safety.

We are constantly developing our walking and cycling route network. When building a new street network, our aim is to include the necessary walking and cycling routes and grade separations. Missing routes are being constructed along existing streets. The existing routes are constantly being renovated and their traffic safety is enhanced. In order to promote and develop the conditions for walking and cycling, regional cooperation is carried out with the other municipalities in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, the Uusimaa ELY Centre(external link) and HSL(external link).

The construction of our 2050 target network for cycling will be a long-term effort, and it will be carried out in different ways in different situations. Most of Espoo’s target network are existing combined pedestrian and cycling routes, some of which need to be improved. Half of the target network (60 km) is estimated to be ready by 2030. Some of the target network will be constructed in connection with other street, road and traffic projects, and part will be carried out as independent cycling projects within budgetary limits. Additional information on the development of the main routes can be found in the main route implementation programme 2020–2029 approved by the Technical Services Committee (5/2020, Section 48).

Joint-use city bikes complement the public transport system and promote the use of sustainable forms of transport. City bikes have established themselves as a part of our daily travel chains. The most popular city bike stations are located in connection with metro and train stations. City bikes are also used on leisure trips: there are several popular city bike stations along the Rantaraitti waterfront walkway, for example.

The city bike seasons starts at the beginning of April and lasts until the end of October. The city bike service is a joint service between Espoo and Helsinki. The city bikes can be used between the cities: you can ride them from Espoo to Helsinki and vice versa. The city bike service operates on stations, i.e. bikes can only be taken in use and returned at a city bike station. A total of 110 stations operate on the Espoo side.

You can register as a city bike service user at the HSL website(external link). The site also lists the locations of city bike stations.

The city bike service is provided by the City of Espoo´s Urban Environment Sector and in Helsinki the Metropolitan Area Transport Ltd. The service is maintained by CityBike Finland. Its marketing, digital services and customer relationships are the responsibility of Helsinki Region Transport, HSL. The sales of advertisement spots on city bikes and bicycle stations are carried out by the outdoor advertising company Clear Channel.

CityBike Finland Oy
Tel. 09 425 788 10
(Mon–Fri 7:00–19:00, Sat–Sun 9:00–17:00)
contact@citybikefinland.fi

City bike feedback and fault reports(external link)

Feedback on the Espoo city bike network to the Customer Service of Urban Environment Sector.

Registering as a user and instructions for using the city bike service(external link)

Public transport, walking and cycling routes(external link)

Cycling as a part of the public transport travel chain(external link)

Electric scooters have become very popular over the past few years. Shared electric scooters can be rented on a pay-by-the-minute basis through various service providers. Scooters are also available with longer leasing agreements, or you can buy your own scooter.

If you want to rent an electric scooter, you will first need to install the service provider’s application on your mobile phone. Each service provider can determine its service area in Espoo.

When using an electric scooter

• take other people into consideration
• ride alone, do not give rides to other people
• adjust your speed to the environment
• do not drink and ride
• park the scooter smartly
• consider wearing a helmet
• follow the service provider’s instructions.

• Electric personal transportation devices(external link) (Traficom)

The City of Espoo cooperates actively with service providers. If you have problems with an electric scooter, please contact the service provider.

Utilising shared resources, shared cars are a form of transport that is welcome in Espoo. As the variety of transport services increases, the need to own a car is reduced. A shared car can be taken in use whenever it is needed. The increase in and development of carsharing services in Espoo supports the city’s sustainable mobility goals.

There are several companies offering carsharing services in Espoo. The city enables the spread of shared cars: their allocated parking spaces are indicated by traffic signs at central locations in the city. There is no parking fee for shared cars in the City of Espoo’s paid parking spaces.

In addition, carsharing companies have made parking agreements with private operators and defined their own service areas. It is therefore a good idea to check the parking spaces allowed for shared cars in the app of each company that provides carsharing services.

Companies providing carsharing services may apply for a parking right from the City of Espoo. A parking right entitles the company to use parking spaces allocated for shared cars, marked with traffic signs. The parking right is free of charge and valid until further notice.

Companies may apply for the parking right if they meet the eligibility criteria set out in a separate call for applications and its appendices and undertake to comply with the conditions for the granting of parking rights.

Parking spaces for shared cars are marked with traffic signs and can be found on the Helsinki Metropolitan Area service map(external link).

Parking spaces that are subject to a fee for non-shared cars can be found in the Espoo Map Service.