Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced the rollout of 100 new buses for the Athens public transport system on Friday.
Mitsotakis spoke about the Greek government’s commitment to modernizing public transport during a photo-op and the Road Transport depot in Rentis. He promised that a total of 900 new vehicles would be in service by mid-2025, with a broader goal of 950 buses by the end of next year.
“Supporting the capital’s public transport system is a central commitment of the government, and I am pleased to certify that today this complex plan is being implemented exactly as we have planned,” Mitsotakis stated. He said that beyond replacing outdated buses with environmentally friendly models, the priority is increasing route frequency to better serve citizens. He acknowledged that achieving this goal will require not only more vehicles but also additional drivers.
But the promise of new buses for the Athens city fleet has been made many times before.
A recent Inside Story report detailed the failures of previous government plans to replenish the fleet. A 2021 tender for 770 new buses was significantly delayed, with two of its five parts failing outright. The long-awaited batch of 140 electric buses from this tender never arrive. Meanwhile, outdated EURO I and EURO II buses, which should have been phased out in 2022 due to environmental regulations, remain in circulation.
The city’s bus system has long struggled with a lack of vehicles, a shortage of drivers, and an outdated fleet. The Inside Story report revealed that while the Athens Urban Transport Organization (OASA) officially listed 1,400 active buses, only 1,168 were in service during peak hours, with many sidelined due to maintenance issues. Additionally, Athens ran 2,167 fewer bus routes per day than it should have. Athenians have grown accustomed to unreliable bus schedules, long waiting times, and overcrowded vehicles.
To mitigate the vehicle shortage, the government has relied on controversial measures such as leasing buses and outsourcing routes to private companies like Greek bus company KTEL. While these temporary fixes increased the number of available routes, they have been criticized for being financially unviable and leading to inconsistent service quality.
Visit of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to the OSY Depot in Renti.
Mitsotakis acknowledged the delays in past investments, attributing them to Greece’s financial crisis, which left the transport sector neglected for years. “We know that for many years – and as a result of the crisis – no substantial investments have been made, especially in our buses. We are therefore running at great speed to make up for lost time, always keeping in mind the best service for citizens, whom we want to direct towards public transport,” he said.
The Prime Minister was joined on Friday by Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Christos Staikouras and Deputy Minister Vassilis Economou, who outlined the latest additions to Athens’ fleet. The 100 new midi-type electric buses, each nine meters long, supplement the 278 low-pollution buses already in operation, bringing the total number of new vehicles in circulation to 405 by the end of February. Furthermore, an international tender has been announced for 125 more electric buses, set to arrive by summer 2026 through European funding.
