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MISSION
Unique in Italy as for dimensions and traffic, increasingly oriented to satisfying the needs of mobility, information and comfort of travelers, the Bologna Autostazione aims at taking on the profile of a modern, multifunctional station through the synergy with the public and private firms carrying on their business within its facilities.
A functional, dynamic station where services supporting mobility closely intertwine with an integrated offer of commercial, informational and entertainment opportunities directed not only to travelers but also to the whole city.
Just like the airport and the central railway station, the Autostazione places Bologna at the center of a wide network of national and international – as well as provincial and regional – connections, thus further strengthening its image as an open, dynamic city.
THE COMPANY
The Bologna Autostazione is a mainly public nature.
In 1961 a group of building contractors engaged in the construction of the present structure – conceived from the very beginning with a keen eye to innovation – founded the Autostazione di Bologna SpA.
Shortly afterwards, the Municipality of Bologna, the Provincial Government of Bologna, the ATC Consortium (a company managing local transport) and some private companies concessionaires of bus services became part of the company's structure.
Over the years internal relationships developed into the current setup:
| Shareholder |
Capital share |
| Municipality of Bologna |
50,5 % |
| Province of Bologna |
25% |
| ATC S.p.A di Bologna |
18,4% |
| Private companies concessionaires of bus services |
6,1% |
THE COMPLEX
The present complex was inaugurated in 1967. It was designed according to innovating architectural criteria and today it is still considered an integral part of the city's contemporary urban assets.
The Bologna Autostazione is really unique in Italy and, owing to its functional character and size, can be compared to the largest bus terminals existing in many European and American countries.
The total area is 17,000 square meters.
The complex is composed of a maneuvring yard, a building that houses offices and commercial businesses, and a square in front of the building.
The maneuvring yard
It includes:
- An over 170 meter-long arrival platform
- A departure platform that guarantees the contemporary maneuvring of 24 buses
- A central platform reserved for tourist buses in motion and waiting
- A platform for passengers, fitted up with benches and waiting rooms, toilets and information panels. The platform is equipped with wide shelters to assure adequate protection to passengers leaving and arriving.
- A left-luggage office
The signal system inside the maneuvring yard is automated and can regulate up to 1,400 departures per day. The office in charge of the traffic and the functioning of the terminal as a whole is on active service every day, at all working hours from 5:30 a.m. to 08:30 p.m.
The building
On the ground floor
- the hall, watched by closed circuit television cameras
- bar and self-service restaurant
- several commercial businesses
- the ticket offices
On the first floor
- the offices of various concerns
In the basement
- a parking garage, with car repair and electrical repair shop annexed, measuring about 7,000 square meters and with a capacity of 350 cars
The yard in front of the building
It includes:
- paying parking lot
- parking lot for motorcycles and bicycles
- parking lot for taxis
- parking lot for the disabled
THE TRAFFIC OF VEHICLES AND PEOPLE
The people
More than 101,000 users, including travelers and passers-by, pass through the Autostazione in the space of a week, with daily peaks of nearly 15,000 people.
In the triennium 2003-2005, the traffic of people recorded an upswing of almost 8%.
Lines and runs
Over the same period the network of national and international connections has remarkably developed, which emphasizes the decisive role played by the Autostazione as a crucial point of connection with Italy and the rest of Europe.
Tourist buses
The reception of tourist buses – i.e. coaches that are not on regular service, used mainly for sightseeing trips – is another segment in rapid development, with 54% of the buses arriving from all over Italy and 46% from abroad .
This confirms the strategic function of receiving visitors that the Autostazione is going to perform in the near future.
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