How should a modern long-distance coach terminal look like? How can a municipal bus fleet transition to electric buses? Representatives from Ljubljana's Public Transport provider (LPP) discussed these questions during their visit to Vienna on 18 February. They gained insight into the city's modernisation processes during an exchange with Viennese experts.
Starting this year, LPP plans to increase its use of hydrogen and electric buses. The company also plans to build a new bus depot and an international long-distance coach terminal in Ljubljana. During their visit to Vienna, LPP experts attended an event hosted by Wiener Stadtwerke (Vienna Public Utilities) where they exchanged ideas with representatives from the energy provider Wien Energie and Wiener Linien (Vienna's public transport provider) as well as the developer of the new international coach terminal in Vienna, the WH Fernbus-Terminal Projektentwicklung.
Coach terminal as the third pillar in long-distance passenger transport
At the first meeting, the managing director of the WH Fernbus-Terminal Projektentwicklung provided an overview of the company. He then discussed the location selection process and presented the construction timeline for the long-distance coach terminal, which is scheduled to open in 2029 and is a top priority for the City of Vienna and Wien Holding Group. The aim is to promote long-distance coach travel as a climate-friendly alternative to car travel and to make the city more attractive as a business and tourism location. Alongside Vienna Airport and Vienna Central Station, the coach terminal, which focuses on sustainable energy solutions, will be the third pillar of long-distance passenger transport.
Vienna's charging infrastructure and electric bus fleet
At the next meeting, a Wien Energie expert presented possible approaches to charging infrastructure for electric buses and long-distance electric coaches. The challenge is that there is no standardisation in the electric bus market, making it difficult to plan consistent charging infrastructure.
Lastly, the delegation visited the e-mobility competence centre of Wiener Linien in Siebenhirten where they received an overview of the municipal bus fleet and the location of the bus depots in Vienna. They also discussed the challenges for e-buses in low temperatures and the charging infrastructure.
The visit by LPP experts to Vienna impressively demonstrated that strategic planning, technological openness and intensive dialogue are key to the success of the mobility transition.