Significant changes in Moscow bus terminals’ operation
22.12.2021
Hello everyone, this is Maksim Liksutov!
In the 1990s, bus terminals were one of the most uncomfortable transport facilities in Moscow. Their owners were constantly changing, and no one was engaged in their maintenance and development. No one was concerned about the interests of passengers, their comfort, and safety. Integration with other types of urban transport, unified navigation, baby care rooms, and clean toilets – none of this was even close. The quality of service remained low for many years, and passengers tried to avoid bus terminals and looked for other transport options.
Thanks to the support of the Mayor of Moscow, the situation with bus terminals has changed dramatically. Today, there are four modern and convenient bus terminals: Severniye Vorota, Yuzhniye Vorota, Salaryevo, and Tsentralniy. They provide travel to nearest cities, remote regions, and foreign countries. There are 172 destinations in total, including Saint Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Pskov, Suzdal, Pereslavl-Zalessky, Vladimir, Kaluga, Tver, as well as Vitebsk, Minsk, Gomel, and Tiraspol. Before the COVID-19 restrictions, there were also buses to Latvia, Finland, and Germany. Since the beginning of the year, 2.5 million Moscow citizens have already used bus terminals and stations.
To further improve the service, this year the management of bus terminals was transferred to the best operator in Russia – the Moscow Metro. It may sound unusual, but it is in the Moscow Metro where the Customer Service Center was created in 2015. The Center radically changed the approach to working with passengers for the better. We counted on the same result with bus terminals, and we were right.
Today we demand that bus stations meet high standards:
● spacious waiting rooms, cafes, baby care rooms
● convenient conditions for passengers with reduced mobility: ramps, lifts, and special toilets
● unified navigation system clear for everyoneregardless the city or country of origin
● free Wi-Fi
● at the Tsentralniy bus terminal, there is a Live Communication desk; passengers can learn about a bus schedule, the nearest metro station, and other information.
There are restrooms and hotels for drivers at the bus stations, so that rested and road-ready specialists operate buses. The work of employees is inspected by a secret passenger. Based on the results of the inspections, we complete a report and, if there are any concerns, we conduct training and work with our staff. A bus wash was installed at the Tsentralniy bus terminal; it is also possible to conduct minor repairs.
Since the management of bus terminals was transferredto the Moscow Metro, the number of licensed carriers has grown with 22 new companies that have signed the contracts. Today, intercity and international buses are yet another convenient, safe, and reliable option for traveling between the capital and cities.
At the end of 2022 - the beginning of 2023, we plan to open another international bus terminal called Krasnogvardeyskiy. There used to be a bus station here, but taking into account the growth of bus traffic, a full-fledged bus terminal with all the amenities according to our high standards of service is required. There will be a comfortable waiting room and all services necessary at a bus terminal.
After the opening of the Krasnogvardeiskiy bus terminal, 5 modern international bus terminals will operate in Moscow - more than in most European cities. Bus routes from Orekhovo and Varshavskayabus stations will be transferred to the new bus terminal.
We expect that 2.5 thousand passengers will use the Krasnogvardeyskiy bus terminal every day. Passengers will be able to travel to cities in the south, southeast, and southwest of Russia, as well as to neighboring countries. Among the most popular destinations are Tula, Tambov, Voronezh, Yevpatoria, Belgorod, Orel, and Lipetsk.
Maybe there are not enough destinations? What other services should be included in the standard of Moscow bus terminals? Send your suggestions to our bot - @to_deptrans_bot.