Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze officially unveiled 25 new 18-metre MAN buses during a ceremony at Europe Square, attended by representatives from Tegeta Holding and MAN Truck & Bus.

This initiative is part of the city’s ongoing transportation policy aimed at completely modernizing its bus fleet and enhancing public transportation services.

Mayor Kaladze highlighted the significance of this project, announcing that Tbilisi will ultimately acquire a total of 100 of these 18-metre buses, all equipped with advanced safety systems, which will be progressively deployed on various routes throughout the city. Plans are also in place to expand the fleet by an additional 100 buses, reaching a total of 200 units by the end of next year.

“Our goal is to make public transport accessible and efficient so that navigating the city is seamless,” Kaladze stated, adding that the city is concurrently working on infrastructure improvements to introduce more dedicated bus lanes.

The new buses, powered by compressed natural gas (CNG), can accommodate up to 162 passengers, including 43 seats. They feature a variety of modern amenities for enhanced passenger comfort.

Currently, 75 of the 18-metre buses are already in operation within the city. The remaining 25 will be integrated into the network gradually, with the complete fleet of 200 buses expected to be fully operational by the end of 2024.