Greece opens road transport market to competition via 12 tenders

The Greek road passenger transport market is undergoing a major transformation as 12 large-scale tenders issued by the National Development Fund open the sector to competition. This process, which now includes the Attica region, aims to redefine the providers of urban and intercity bus lines for the next decade, with potential extensions up to 15 years.

Historically dominated by the Ktel cooperatives, the market is seeing new dynamics as various entities prepare for the bidding process. Discussions are underway regarding potential alliances, including partnerships between different Ktel groups, collaborations between transport companies, and joint ventures between private firms and existing Ktel cooperatives.

Winning a tender requires significant resources beyond capital, including fleets, drivers, stations, depots, technical facilities, and digital systems. Bidders must also demonstrate the operational capacity to manage entire regional networks, including low-traffic routes to remote areas that are essential for service continuity.