The new electric buses that will be put into service.
VIENTIANE: Twenty-eight of a planned fleet of 55 electric buses arrived in Vientiane on Tuesday (Nov 5), delivered by rail from China.
The buses will be put into service under the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, for which facilities are currently being built across the city.
The buses entered Laos at the Boten border crossing where Laos-China Railway staff ensured that they were properly secured for the remainder of the journey to Vientiane.
The three-month trial run of the BRT system will not take place until June next year, with the system expected to become fully operational in early 2026.
The new public bus service, which is part of the Vientiane Sustainable Urban Transport Project, involves the construction of bus stations, dedicated bus routes, operating systems, maintenance facilities, and installation of communication lines including fibre optics and CCTV cameras.
Development of the Bus Rapid Transit system is currently 30 per cent complete.
Most of the 27 boarding and disembarking stations and the foundations of the BRT stations have been finished, according to the project manager.
The focus now is on widening narrow roads to accommodate the new bus lanes, as bus-stops will be located in the middle of roads.
All construction is expected to be complete by mid-2025, with services starting in two phases – a three-month free trial, followed by the full operation of the new bus service in 2026.
The Bus Rapid Transit system is expected to ease traffic congestion, reduce the number of road accidents, improve air quality, and cut costs for passengers.
Real-time bus arrival information will be displayed at each boarding station and inside buses.
Payment for travel can be made using smartcards, which will be available at all BRT stations, the Friendship Bridge, Wattay International Airport, railway stations, and participating convenience stores.
The project is funded and supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), European Investment Bank, Global Environmental Fund, and domestic sources. - Vientiane Times/ANN
