Infrastructure

Bus and coach terminals and stops

Bus and coach terminals and stops are the genuine “workshops” where car drivers are converted into passengers. The availability of appropriate bus and coach terminals/stations (i.e. for all cities > 50 000 inhabitants) and linking them into a network throughout Europe (as part of the Trans-European Networks) can transform them into genuine mobility interfaces for both regular and tourist travellers. Coach stations with inter-modal exchange facilities allow larger numbers of passengers to be offered a high quality service and give added value to collective travel by bus and coach. A dense network of bus and coach stations encourages large numbers of potential travellers to opt for sustainable and safe common passenger transport. Typically, a large bus and coach terminal in a large European city welcomes on average 3-5 million passengers per year, thus contributing significantly to facilitating mobility and optimising the transport system.

Example: At the end of 2008, Stockholm’s largest bus terminal, Cityterminalen, was re-inaugurated following considerable reconstruction aimed at optimising capacity and offering travellers and passenger transport companies enhanced service. Cityterminalen is built on two levels with 19 gates. Around 100 000 buses and coaches from 500 different destinations in Sweden and the rest of Europe arrive and depart annually. Most are for scheduled long distance travel, but a considerable number are also tourist coaches.

For more information:

Stockholm City Trophy Application 2009

http://www.iru.org/index/cms-filesystem-action?file=event_2009_citytrophy/IRU-CT2009-Stockholm-Application.pdf

Study of passenger transport by coach, Final Report, European Commission, pp.64-74
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road/studies/doc/2009_06_passenger_transport_by_coach.pdf

Study of passenger transport by coach, Appendix C: Study of coach terminals, European Commission
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road/studies/doc/2009_06_passenger_transport_by_coach_annexe_c.pdf