Situation analysis
Extensive repair works on the Tallinn-Tartu railway, which began in the summer of 2024, created a serious transport crisis on Estonia’s most important route. Train services became unreliable, replacement buses were slow and uncomfortable, and the number of rail passengers dropped significantly.
At the same time, demand for coach travel grew sharply. Lux Express added hundreds of extra departures to the route, but even that was not enough, as buses remained overloaded. The state was repairing the railway without offering suitable alternatives for passengers, leaving the private sector to help solve the crisis. For Lux Express, this was not only an operational challenge, but also a strategic risk: if passengers disappointed by trains were not attracted to buses, they would eventually switch to cars.
Objectives
- Send a clear message to the state and the public: for 30 years, efforts have been made to reduce car dependency and encourage people to use public transport, and these passengers must not be lost because of railway repairs.
- Show how Lux Express could support the state in a situation where railway repairs had created a crisis on Estonia’s busiest Tallinn-Tartu route.
- Communicate one of the largest investments in Lux Express’s history, the introduction of double decker buses, strategically and with maximum impact.
- Strengthen Lux Express’s reputation as a company that makes bold decisions.
- Keep media and public attention through a smart communication solution.
Messaging and communication strategy
- We highlighted a clear problem: railway repairs had created a crisis, and if left unsolved, it would push people back into cars, which neither the state nor private companies wanted.
- We positioned Lux Express as a fast and independent solution provider, acting without state support.
- We built a phased communication strategy. First, we brought the scale of the problem into public discussion, then generated interest, and only in the final phase revealed the solution. This kept the topic organically visible for several months.
- We used a fact based and direct tone, highlighting concrete numbers, the scale of the investment and its impact.
- We connected the story to a broader social narrative, emphasising the role of public transport in reducing car dependency.
- The communication culminated in a strong and symbolic public event at Balti Jaam, where six new double decker buses were lined up at Estonia’s largest railway hub, with Elron trains in the background. The visually powerful event attracted journalists, influencers and policymakers, helping amplify the message across the media, social platforms and public debate.
Results
- Lux Express achieved an all time passenger record on the Tallinn Tartu route: 800,000 passengers, an increase of around 10%.
- The number of young passengers aged up to 26 grew by 34%.
- The project generated 95 media mentions and over 3 million contacts during the most active period.
- Social media views tripled at the peak of the campaign.
- Website visits increased by nearly 20% between April and June.
- Lux Express strengthened its position as a public transport market leader and crisis solver.