Translink has celebrated the opening of Grand Central Station, a 340 million GBP public transport hub in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Transport services at the new facility are being introduced in phases. Bus services that previously operated from the Europa Buscentre were transferred to the new station on Sunday 8 September 2024. This move will be followed by rail operations at a date to be confirmed.
Chris Conway, Translink Group Chief Executive said:We are excited to be opening this modern major transport interchange this week. With advanced customer features and integrated networks, it offers a huge opportunity to grow public transport driving economic development across the region and playing a major part in tackling the climate emergency. That means a better-connected future for people and communities for generations to come.
The new site has been designed to offer an enhanced passenger experience, facilitating up to 20 million journeys each year.
When rail operations commence, the facility will enable seamless connections between bus and rail services.
In addition, to encourage active travel, streets adjoining the station will give more space to pedestrians and cyclists and parking will be available for more than 200 bikes.
Compared to previous facilities, the number of rail platforms at the new station has been doubled from 4 to 8. Meanwhile, 26 bus stands will eventually become operational, thus increasing the available capacity for transit services from the current 16.
Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd said:This is truly a new era for public transport here in Belfast and across the north and indeed the island of Ireland. This new flagship station is iconic as well as historic and it signals our intent in relation to our climate commitments and our focus on transport decarbonisation.
There is no doubt that this is an impressive facility with the space to cater for up to 20 million customer journeys per year. At the moment 16 bus stands are operational and this will increase to 26 and double the number of rail platforms from four to eight. With 200+ spaces for bicycles, we are focused on encouraging more active travel and providing passenger facilities and services that deliver an enhanced user experience.
