Finnish parcel delivery returns to buses as new firm targets online market

Parcel delivery by coach has nearly vanished in Finland, but a new Jyväskylä-based firm is reviving the practice, Yle reports.

The company, Pakettihuolto, has launched exchange and distribution lockers at Jyväskylä and Tampere bus stations, aiming to capture 5% of Finland’s e-commerce parcel volume—over 3.5 million packages annually. The lockers allow parcels from arriving coaches to be stored for recipients, couriers, or onward transport.

Linja-autoliitto managing director Mika Mäkilä said space for freight on coaches remains underused, though the shift to automated parcel lockers has made coach-based delivery rare. Matkahuolto, Finland’s second-largest parcel operator after Posti, moved its parcel logistics to a dedicated truck network as e-commerce growth outpaced coach capacity.

Onnibus and Pakettihuolto now offer coach-based parcel services, with the latter planning nationwide expansion. Pakettihuolto CEO Mika Seppänen noted the model allows precise delivery date predictions for customers.

Decades ago, coaches routinely carried freight alongside passengers, providing vital supplementary income for operators like Keuruu-based Matka Mäkelä. That revenue stream has since dried up, according to the company’s CEO Matti Mäkelä.