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Free bus rides for daycare groups
Published: 1.12.2025
Vaasa’s early childhood education and care groups can now travel free of charge by bus during the day, for example to the library or a playground. School groups have been able to do the same since the beginning of 2025.
ECEC groups in Vaasa can now travel free of charge by bus under staff supervision, for example to museums, concerts, or the traffic park. The free bus rides will particularly benefit daycare units located further from the city centre.
Child groups always travel under the supervision of a teacher. Free travel also applies to ECEC staff travelling with the group.
The trial with school groups has been a success
Students in basic education in Vaasa have been able to travel free of charge by bus during the school day for visits to cultural institutions and other sites since the start of 2025.
This is a trial aimed at making public transport increasingly child-friendly.
– The trial has been a success, and it will now be extended to include early childhood education and care, says Pertti Hällilä, Transport Manager.
Plenty of space on buses during the day
The high prices of chartered buses have been a significant barrier to organising visits, especially for schools and daycare units located further from the city centre.
– Passenger numbers on public transport in the Vaasa region are lower during midday, in other words during school days and daycare hours. A Lifti bus can easily accommodate one school or daycare group during the day, says Hällilä.
School and daycare groups can travel free of charge on weekdays between 8.30 and 13.30.
The Public Transport Board made the decision at its meeting on 22 October 2025.
The Child-Friendly Municipality model focuses on developing public transport
The City of Vaasa is participating in the UNICEF Child-friendly municipality model.
Vaasa has set five concrete goals aimed at making the city more child-friendly. One of the goals is to develop public transport routes and timetables.
If the goals are achieved, Vaasa could receive UNICEF’s Child-Friendly Municipality recognition. UNICEF will carry out the assessment and make the decision on the Child-Friendly Municipality recognition by the end of 2025.