The mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj, cited two innovative investments that will transform Tirana into the European Capital of Transport: the digitization of the current service, as well as the opening of two mega terminals for buses, which together with the railway line will breathe life into mobility of Tirana.

Veliaj said in his remarks at the “eTransport” forum that other than the modernization of these services, the municipality has also subsidized both citizens and urban transport operators in the capital, a process that becomes more easy with the introduction of the GPS system.

“We have broken a taboo by subsidizing public transport, but the context of the war in Ukraine required this intervention. In a global world, where we are all connected, the soaring price of fuel has taken a toll on everyone. What Tirana introduced as a temporary choice was that every bus was fitted with a GPS and through this we subsidize the operator for the kilometers, the accuracy and discipline of arriving at the station,” said Veliaj.

Another important investment, the mayor added, is the eastern bus terminal, which is nearing completion, as well as the terminal of other lines for which, the municipality won 27 court battles to start its construction.

The mayor of Tirana said that in the meantime, the work on the track way of the train station is underway. It will connect the western terminal with the Train Station through light rail down to the former Train Station, the beginning of New Boulevard. “Having a platform that integrates all our systems, such as mono rail, light rail as well as buses and other modes of public transport, I believe that we have an integrated system and we can proudly say that, as far as transport is concerned, Tirana is a European Transport Capital that has embraced such a philosophy and a digital space that unites us”, Veliaj concluded his speech.
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