Survey: Tampere Tramway gains in popularity – significant increase in use of public transport
Tampere Tramway Ltd conducts an annual consumer survey about the opinions and attitudes of Tampere residents towards the tramway. According to the survey, positive feelings towards the tramway continue to grow; at the moment, 89 per cent of residents view the tramway positively. The number of residents who have a very positive attitude towards the tramway has grown by 4 per cent from last year. The survey concludes that tram use has increased the popularity of public transport in general.
According to the Tampere Tramway consumer survey, 89 per cent of Tampere residents view the tramway positively. Last year, the corresponding number was 86 per cent. The number of residents who have a very positive attitude towards the tramway has grown by 4 per cent from last year’s survey – they now represent 69 per cent of respondents. Four per cent of respondents have a somewhat negative attitude towards the tramway now, whereas last year the corresponding number was 5 per cent. Only one per cent of respondents have a very negative opinion about the tramway, which is the same as last year.
The consumer survey reveals that tram use has increased the popularity of public transport in general. 58 per cent of respondents state that their use of public transport has increased because of the tramway. The number has grown by 9 per cent since last year.
– These results are spectacular. It is great to see further growth in the number of people who have a very positive attitude towards the tramway. The survey shows also that the journey experience has a positive effect on opinions and attitudes towards the tramway. We have a keen ear for public debate and customer feedback, and constant development and improvement of our operations is important to the whole Tampere Tram family. The survey results show that we are on the right path, says Pekka Sirviö, CEO of Tampere Tramway Ltd.
Pirkkala to be included in the consumer survey next year
The Tampere Tramway consumer survey has been carried out on a yearly basis since the beginning of the construction of the first tramline in 2017. The survey is carried out by IRO Research Ltd., and it is commissioned by Tampere Tramway Ltd. The first survey showed a 56 per cent support for the tramway among Tampere residents, whereas 23 per cent of respondents had a negative attitude towards the tramway.
In October 2024, the Tampere City Council and Pirkkala Municipal Council have decided on the extension of Tampere Tram in two phases. In the first phase, the current tramway will be extended to Partola in Pirkkala, all the way to the Niihama stop in Tampere. The second phase means a further extension of the new lines from Partola to Suuppa in Pirkkala, and from the Niihama stop to Linnainmaa in Tampere. Securing state support is a prerequisite for the realization of the second phase.
– The recent decisions by Tampere City Council and Pirkkala Municipal Council mean that Pirkkala will join the tramway era. From next year onwards, we will include Pirkkala in our consumer survey, to find out already in the construction phase how the residents of Pirkkala feel about the tramway, says Sirviö.
The tram is mostly used for short commutes
According to the consumer survey, 92 per cent of Tampere residents have already traveled by tram, whereas the corresponding number last year was 91 per cent.
The percentage of people who use the tram on a daily basis is now 5 per cent lower than last year. However, 39 per cent of Tampere residents still use the tram on a weekly basis at a minimum.
Also, 39 per cent of respondents say they mostly use the tram for short journeys within the city center. The use of the tram for short commutes has increased by 7 per cent since last year. Daily tram users report that the main purpose of their trips is commuting from home to work or to the city center. All in all, the tram is used versatilely for different types of journeys. The most active tram users are people between 15 and 29 years of age.
Almost all tram users describe traveling by tram as easy (97 per cent), accessible (91 per cent), meeting expectations (94 per cent), reliable (93 per cent), safe (92 per cent), spacious (90 per cent) and comfortable (89 per cent). Moreover, 90 per cent of respondents find it easy to purchase travel tickets.
According to the survey, the tramway has had a positive effect on the development of residential areas, especially those close to the tramway (44 per cent in 2024, 47 per cent in 2023, 46 per cent in 2022.) However, compared to last year, the opinions regarding the development of residential areas are now more neutral than before.
In general, people find the tramway environmentally friendly. They also feel that the tramway improves the city image, raises the market value of real estates, and makes Tampere a nicer place to live.
People welcome tramway extension and wish to engage in development
The Tampere Tramway consumer survey maps the expectations of residents for the Tampere Tram and the tramway. The extension of the tramway both within the city of Tampere and on a regional level has come up in the majority of surveys.
The recent council decisions are in line with the wishes of residents. The plan is to regionally extend the tramway in several phases up until the 2040s. The expectations that the survey reveals prove that people have faith in the development of the tramway, says Sirviö.
52 per cent of Tampere residents find it very important that tram users get to participate in the development of the user experience of the tramway.
– It is great that residents still want to participate in the development of the user experience of the Ratikka tramway. We will continue to establish new opportunities of influence, so I encourage people to actively follow the communication channels of Tampere Tramway and the Pirkkala-Linnainmaa Alliance of Tampere Tramway, which is responsible for the planning and construction of the new section, as well as the channels of Nysse public transport service, the city and the municipalities, Sirviö continues.
About the consumer survey
IRO Research carried out the first Tampere Ratikka tramway consumer survey in October 2024 by the commission of Tampere Tramway Ltd. The goal was to survey the opinions and attitudes of the residents of Tampere towards the Ratikka tramway. The results are utilized in the development, communication and marketing of the tramway.
The target group is Tampere residents aged between 15 and 75. The sample size was 500 respondents, and they were quota sampled for place of residence (tramway max. 800 m / rest of Tampere), gender and age group.
The data was collected by means of computer-aided telephone interviews at IRO Research Ltd’s own telephone interview center. A sufficient sample of persons who belong to the target group was purchased from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency for data collection purposes. In order to target the register picking, the survey commissioner provided IRO with a “tramway max. 800 m” list of streets.
The first Tampere Tramway consumer survey was done in 2017, and a follow-up survey is carried out annually.
Further information:
CEO Pekka Sirviö
Tampere Tramway Ltd.
Tel. +358 (0)40 334 5798
firstname.lastname@tampereenraitiotie.fi