Thessaloniki doubles bus fleet with 426 new vehicles by autumn

Thessaloniki is set to add 426 new buses to its fleet by autumn, Deputy Transport Minister Konstantinos Kyranakis said Thursday during a parliamentary committee briefing.

Kyranakis noted that the city's bus fleet has grown from 240 vehicles in 2019 to more than 500 today.

Of the new buses, 206 will be operated by the Thessaloniki Urban Transport Organization (OASTH), including 160 electric buses, while a private contractor will operate 220 buses, including 100 electric, by September.

The lowest bid came from Chinese manufacturer Yutong at €32.65 million excluding VAT, or €653,000 per bus, Kyranakis said.

The deputy minister added that prices secured by transport organizations in other European cities range from €600,000 to €1 million for 18-meter electric buses. "We, at €650,000, are at the lower end of this range," Kyranakis said.