Large traffic survey by Fintraffic: Rising prices impact Finns’ travelling choices this summer
This summer, Finns are paying extra close attention on when and how to get around. Nearly half of Finns intend to do less driving during their holidays due to rising prices. People are also being more careful about using public transport. Finns actively seek up-to-date traffic information to help plan their travels. This is revealed by a survey commissioned by Fintraffic from Research Insight Finland.
In the traffic survey by Traffic Management Company Fintraffic, more than a quarter of respondents said that price increases will affect how they choose to get to their summer destinations this year. High prices were particularly impactful for students: as much as 41% of students said that high prices will affect their choice of transport.
“Many families are calculating carefully how they will be getting around during the summer holidays. While cars are the most important means of transport for many, people are also looking closely at public transport prices when they are deciding on their travels for the summer. Travel time and price are the most important factors, but more and more people are also considering the emissions generated by their travels”, says Mikko Saariaho, Chief Strategy and Communications Officer at Fintraffic.
Finns prefer trains for long journeys
Finns are most likely to walk when crossing a distance of less than two kilometres. Cycling is choice number one on distances of 2 to 10 kilometres. Passenger cars win out among Finns when a trip is 10 to 400 kilometres. But when the distance is long, especially over 400 kilometres, Finns find that taking the train is the best option. Taking the train was particularly popular among respondents aged between 18 and 24, as up to 83% of them said say were going to travel by train this summer.
“For the climate and our health, it is wonderful that attitudes towards walking and cycling are really positive. Taking the train has overtaken driving as Finns’ favourite way of crossing long journeys, which supports the development of an even more sustainable transport system in Finland”, says Saariaho.
Finns want up-to-date traffic information easily and quickly
The survey shows that Finns hope that their travels over the summer will not only be affordable but also easy. Almost all drivers (93%) said that they follow traffic alerts. People want real-time information on traffic disruptions and traffic jams to help plan their route before starting off. With public transport, on the other hand, route planners and services combining the timetables of different transport options are important for users.
“Young people’s responses especially emphasised the importance of mobile apps, and demand for the transport information they offer can only be expected to grow in the future. Fintraffic helps different actors share up-to-date transport information on their channels. We also provide services that make it easier for Finns to travel. For example, our opas.matka.fi service offers easy access to information on public transport connections to summer holiday destinations. We collect and share traffic information used in tools like navigators, map programs and public transport route planners, and in the media”, says Saariaho.
The large traffic survey by Fintraffic was conducted nation-wide between 22 May 2023 and 25 May 2023. The survey was produced by Research Insight Finland. The survey had a total of 1021 respondents with an age range of 18 to 79 years. Respondent samples were weighted by age, gender and area of residence to represent their target groups.
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