New Long-Distance Bus Terminal in Vienna-Leopoldstadt Moves Closer

In Vienna-Leopoldstadt, the groundbreaking ceremony for the new central long-distance bus terminal took place on Tuesday. The station is intended to replace the current stops, such as the terminal in Erdberg. The opening is planned for 2029. Originally, completion was supposed to happen much earlier. However, after differences, they parted ways with an investor, resulting in years of delay.

"Good things take time, I would say," Finance City Councillor Barbara Novak (SPÖ) expressed some satisfaction with the start of construction today. The city is now building the facility independently through Wien Holding and its subsidiary WSE (Wiener Standortentwicklung GmbH). "It was a very wise decision that we took this project into our own hands," she assured.

Location of New Vienna Long-Distance Bus Terminal

The long-distance bus terminal is being built on an area located between Handelskai and the stadium or the Stadioncenter, in close proximity to the new sports arena. The implementation will take place in stages, as emphasized. Initially, the bus station along with a hotel, which will operate under the name "Radisson Red," will be constructed. A footbridge to the Danube shore is also announced.

In a second phase, a high-rise building is to be constructed. This was already included in the original concept. Given what was described today as a consistently challenging market situation for office real estate, it will be realized later.

There is no change in the originally planned operator. The concession procedure was won by BGR Busterminal GmbH. This is a consortium of the industry-based corporate group Blaguss/Gschwindl/Dr. Richard. The central long-distance bus terminal is to be open around the clock. The multi-story operations building will house waiting areas, gastronomy, and shops, among other things.

The implementation is now being carried out by WSE, which specializes in real estate development and project realization, as emphasized. Specifically, a WSE subsidiary will be responsible for the construction of the terminal and hotel. The capital requirement is currently estimated at 158 million euros. The city is providing 45 million euros in equity through Wien Holding as interim financing. This is to be returned to the city during the phased project realization.

NEOS economic spokesperson Markus Ornig, the district chairman of the second district, Alexander Nikolai (SPÖ), and Wien Holding managing director Oliver Stribl also participated in the groundbreaking ceremony. They also pointed out the importance of the project for tourism and the economic location.

ÖVP: "About Time"

The Vienna ÖVP also expressed confidence that Vienna urgently needs the project. "After years of announcements, it is about time that actions are now being taken," said planning spokesperson Elisabeth Olischar and finance spokesperson Hannes Taborsky. However, warnings from the city audit office regarding financing and the timeline should be taken seriously, otherwise the next "million disaster" threatens, they warned.

More on Vienna's urban development

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.