A woman stands on the street and smiles. — Katve Pöppönen prefers public transport. He has already adopted the habit as a child, and has also taught it to his own children. - When my children were small, we used to travel by bus, he says.

New friendships and outdoor activities

Katve Pöppönen from Lappeenranta is a sworn friend of bus travel. The cities of Lappeenranta and Imatra are involved in the project, the goal of which is to increase the share of sustainable means of transport, especially in inter-city traffic.

The bus is a means of transportation familiar to Lappeenranta residents since childhood Katve to Pöppö.

- I come from the country and have traveled a lot during my life, both by bus and train. They have always been natural choices for me.

During his travels, Pöppönen has met new people, even befriended some of them. He especially has fond memories of the personable fellow passengers and the friendly and competent drivers.

- I have also gotten to know some of my colleagues at the bus stop, he says.

On weekdays, Pöppönen travels by bus from Lappeenranta to Imatra to work, and the round trip is about 80 kilometers. It takes about two hours in total.

- I live a few minutes' walk from the Lappeenranta bus station. Basically, I go from one terminus to another, and in a few minutes' walk I can get from my home door to almost the back door of my workplace.

Pöppönen feels that traveling by bus is above all a familiar and safe way to move between cities, but also an affordable alternative.

- A travel card is cheap as soap, Pöppönen says with a laugh and explains that with his mileage, the monthly card will be paid for in less than a week.

- In addition, I feel that sustainable movement is important. We already traveled by bus when my children were small. Sometimes it feels like people are alienated from public transport, but I think people should use public transport more than they currently do.

Sustainable modes of transportation between the two cities

In addition to the bus, it is possible to cover the distance between Lappeenranta and Imatra in a sustainable way by traveling both by train and by bike. The distance between the cities is about 36 kilometers, depending on the route.

Did you know that you can also cycle between Imatra and Lappeenranta? The length of the route is about 40 kilometers and it is part of the archipelago route of Saimaa, so you should set aside time to admire the scenery.

The journey takes about an hour by bus and half an hour by train. Cycling takes an average of two hours, and at the same time, the day's dose of outdoor activities is also full.

The cities of Lappeenranta and Imatra encourage their residents to travel sustainably both between cities and on other journeys. The aim of the joint state aid project for the control of movement between the cities, which is currently underway, is to increase the share of sustainable means of transportation, especially for trips between cities.

During November, the social media channels of the cities of Lappeenranta and Imatra will highlight various options and experiences of sustainable mobility. This is how cities want to help their residents find the most suitable means of transportation for everyone and encourage them to try new ways of moving.

You can see the bus routes and timetables

Imatra's local transport timetables

ja From the Lappeenranta public transport route guide.

Train schedule information can be found From the VR website.