Gov’t moves to ensure modern bus station infrastructure across Georgia by 2025

Modern bus stations will be built across Georgia as part of an infrastructural reform that aims to provide passengers with a better experience by May 2025, Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili said on Monday.

Davitashvili acknowledged the existence of “many bus stations” in the country where “no standards are met and [...] the quality [of service] is very low”, adding the first stage of the reform, for ensuring compliance with safety norms of transport vehicles, was expected to be fulfilled by February 2024.

[The current situation] affects the image of our country, the tourism sector, and, of course, our citizens cannot not enjoy domestic, long-distance or international travel in such uncomfortable conditions”, he said. 

The stations will become subject to certification, procedures for which will be determined by the Government.

Davitashvili also said the reform would not lead to increased transport fares. “It will be a transparent process [...] In general, within the reform, we do not expect ticket prices to increase", he added.

Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili first announced the initiative a month ago, saying the goal was to make all stations in the country “modern [and] compliant with European standards”.

He named "unsanitary conditions” as well as transport and safety regulations among areas that needed to be addressed, before saying the situation required “involvement and intervention by the state”.