• Algeria to replace 5,400 aging public buses in six months
• New law allows bus imports, supports local industry growth
• Plan includes new routes, rail, tram, and cable car upgrades

Algeria is set to replace 5,400 public buses that are more than 30 years old within the next six months, according to Transport Minister Said Sayoud. This operation is the first phase of a broader plan to gradually modernize the country's fleet of 84,000 buses.

The plan, which was unveiled in late 2024, includes measures to facilitate its execution. A new law now permits the import of buses less than five years old, while incentives aim to support the development of a local automotive industry. The dual goal is to improve passenger comfort and safety while modernizing the public transport sector.

The Ministry of Transport had previously presented an urban mobility plan to launch 130 new bus routes for private operators and 45 routes to be managed by the Algiers Urban and Suburban Transport Company (ETUSA). The modernization and expansion of the national bus fleet will be integrated with public policies focused on multi-modal transportation.

In addition to bus routes, other projects include extending the railway network, expanding the tramway system—which has become a pillar of Algiers' mobility since 2011—and renovating cable cars. As part of a roadmap adopted in November 2023, cable cars are slated for modernization in several major cities, including Algiers, Constantine, Tizi Ouzou, Oued Koreich, Tlemcen, Blida, and Annaba.

Henoc Dossa