A final study ahead of the building and operation of a bus terminal for all inter-city routes leading to and from the greater Athens area is expected to be delivered this month, with the goal being the proclamation of an international tender by April 2017.
The new bus terminal is slated for construction in the Athens inner-city district of Elaionas, a mostly post-industrial patchwork of urban blocks southwest of downtown Omonia square. On the positive side, a metro station (Athens Metro Line 3) is adjacent to the proposed site.
Currently, some four main terminals exist for inter-city buses in the greater Athens area.
According to reports, the relevant ministry is already in the process of finding guaranteed funding for the infrastructure project, whereas another major question is which organization will oversee the construction phase.
The transport ministry is reportedly leaning towards Attiko Metro, the operator of the Athens metro system, which will also retain 60 percent of the new terminal.
An initial deadline calls for the terminal to be completed by 2020.
On the drawing board, the bus terminal will cover 38,500 square meters, with another 11,000 square meters for all types of commercial uses; 29,000 square meters will be left open for green spaces. Parking for 480 passenger vehicles is foreseen.
The total projected cost, including an extension to the current metro station, reaches 300 million euros, with the European Investment Bank (EIB) eyed as a possible financing partner and with the project possibly awarded to winning concessionaire.
The proposed terminal would be within the boundary of the Egaleo municipality.
