Project

Conducting co-creation activities for public transport reform in Estonia

Inactive project

2025–2026

Project contact

The government plans to make several changes to the public transport system in the coming years and to carry out a public transport reform aimed at creating a sustainable, nationwide public transport system that encompasses various modes of transport and features a single ticketing system, which is tailored to people’s everyday lives and improves access to services, workplaces and education.

SEI Tallinn supports the Ministry of Regional and Agriculture in implementing co-creation activities to improve user groups’ trust in and understanding of the changes accompanying the public transport reform, and to help develop a data-driven, environmentally sustainable and user-centred proposal for reforming the route network.

As part of the co-creation project, surveys and co-creation events will be held in various regions of Estonia, providing the Ministry of Regional and Agriculture, which is responsible for regional public transport planning and policy-making, with clarity regarding the objectives and functions of the various routes when drawing up the reform action plan.

The focus of Phase I of the co-creation process (March 2025 – November 2025) was on improving the route networks in seven regions, including Saaremaa, Läänemaa, West and East Harju County, Rapla County, and Ida-Virumaa and Lääne-Virumaa County.

The focus regions for Phase II of the co-creation process (March 2026 – November 2026) are Põlvamaa, Võrumaa, Valgamaa, Tartumaa, Pärnumaa, Viljandimaa, Hiiumaa, Jõgevamaa and Järvamaa.

The second phase of the co-creation process will take place from March to November 2026. The second phase of co-creation will focus on nine regions in Estonia – Põlvamaa, Võrumaa, Valgamaa, Tartumaa, Pärnumaa, Viljandimaa, Hiiumaa, Jõgevamaa and Järvamaa.

SEI Tallinn’s main task is to develop a detailed methodology for the co-creation activities, based on the needs arising from the public transport reform. To this end, in accordance with the Ministry’s guidelines, we are conducting an online survey to understand what people living and working in the focus regions consider most important, what the regional challenges are, and how well the current public transport system meets people’s actual mobility needs.

In addition, in collaboration with the Ministry and the relevant Public Transport Centre, we will organise at least one co-creation event in each designated region (nine events in total), involving various stakeholder groups, including local authorities and community organisations, and we will compile a summary of these events.

Phase I of the co-creation process for the public transport reform route network was carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture, the Stockholm Environment Institute’s Tallinn Centre and regional stakeholder groups from March to the end of November 2025. The focus was on improving the route networks in seven regions, including Saaremaa, Läänemaa, West and East Harju County, Rapla County, Ida-Virumaa and Lääne-Virumaa County.

The aim of the project was to identify the specific mobility needs of each region, to map existing barriers to the use of public transport, the need for and readiness to use demand-responsive transport, and to achieve a broad consensus on solutions that meet the actual mobility needs of local communities, increase the usability of public transport and help reduce the risk of transport deprivation.

The application of co-creation methodology helped to ensure that the design of changes to the route network involved broad participation from local residents and organisations, vulnerable groups, local authorities, community organisations, transport operators, businesses and other local stakeholders, each with their own diverse needs, experiences and expectations, were broadly involved in shaping the route network changes. A total of 577 people took part in the co-creation process. The project’s outcome provides input for drawing up the route network development concept and regional reform action plans.

Two co-creation workshops were held in each region, with a written feedback round taking place between the workshops, during which a wider group of local residents was asked to share their views and preferences and to provide feedback on the findings to date.

Report on Phase I of the co-creation process

Final Report on the Co-creation Process for the Public Transport Network Reform: Results of the regional co-creation processes in Ida-Virumaa, Lääne-Virumaa, East and West Harjumaa, Raplamaa, Läänemaa and Saaremaa (2025) (in Estonian)

Kaidi Tamm

Head of Unit, Senior Expert (Sustainable Cities and Resilient Communities Unit)

SEI Tallinn

Lilian Yallop

Junior Expert (Sustainable Cities and Resilient Communities Unit)

SEI Tallinn

Johanna Lehtmets

Communications Manager

Communications

SEI Tallinn

Anette Parksepp

Communications Expert

Communications

SEI Tallinn

Brigita Tool

Expert (Green and Circular Economic Transformations Unit)

SEI Tallinn

Project funding

The project is commissioned by the Estonian Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture. Engagement and co-creation activities are co-funded by the European Union within the framework of the Government Office’s co-creation accelerator programme.

Topics and subtopics: Energy : Transport / Gender : Participation / Governance : Participation
Tags: equity, local knowledge, rural development, planning, transport, vulnerability
Related centres: SEI Tallinn
Regions: Estonia

Report on Phase I of the co-creation process

Project funding

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