Outdoor Express buses will operate from 4 July to 27 September 2026, on Saturdays and Sundays, connecting Jyväskylä Region´s three national parks: Pyhä-Häkki, Leivonmäki, and Southern Konnevesi.
- “Outdoor Express buses were very well received last summer. For the upcoming season, we have extended the operating period and made small adjustments based on customer feedback,” says Project Coordinator Anni Peltonen from Visit Jyväskylä Region.
- “As a new feature for next summer, we will offer easy-to-purchase travel packages in cooperation with the route operator MatkaMäkelä. These packages combine transportation with guided activities at the destinations.” Peltonen continues.
Departures are from Jyväskylä Travel Center, and passengers can also board along the route. For Southern Konnevesi National Park, two routes will be available: one via Spa Hotel Peurunka in Laukaa to Häyrylänranta, and another via Revontuli Resort in Hankasalmi to the Kalaja area. The Pyhä-Häkki route stops in Saarijärvi town center. At Leivonmäki, Outdoor Express buses will also provide internal transportation within the park during the day.
Day visitors will have about 4–5 hours to enjoy nature. With services running on two consecutive days, visitors can also stay overnight and take advantage of local tourism services.
Tickets will be available via the national bus ticket shop Matkahuolto starting January 15, at the Matka Travel Fair. Tickets can be combined with train travel also through VR’s ticket shop. The packages will go on sale in February by MatkaMäkelä.
Outdoor Express services are part of the project Sustainable International Accessibility for Tourism in Central Finland (KeKaSa), implemented by Visit Jyväskylä Region, the regional tourism organization for Central Finland. The project is co-funded by the European Union, with financing granted by the Regional Council of Central Finland. Project partners include local municipalities, JAMK University of Applied Sciences, and the Central Finland Chamber of Commerce.
Further information:
Anni Peltonen, Project Coordinator, Sustainable International Growth for Tourism in Central Finland (KeKaSa)
[email protected], tel. +358 40 651 2217
Johanna Maasola, Project Manager, Sustainable International Growth for Tourism in Central Finland (KeKaSa)
[email protected], tel. +358 50 448 2954
Read more:
Outdoor Express – Visit Jyväskylä Region
