However, the owner of the shopping center claims that it is also in their interest that the terminal is used as much as possible, and the region is deliberately reducing the number of buses that pass through it. How do carriers perceive the event?
After the reconstruction of the area of the Nivy Bus Station began, the relatively extensive operation became a cramped space in which passengers, drivers and buses crowded at the same time. The entire first underground floor intended for suburban and international traffic was reduced from 36 platforms to 19, and only two of the eight exits were preserved. Drivers also lost a significant number of parking spaces for buses, they can only use a third of the 92.
Everything that happens with the Nivy station is a decision of Slovak Lines. The company pays the owner, HB Reavis, for the space and uses it as part of the lease. HB Reavis has no objections to the changes and, according to the March statement, they stand behind the commitment that the Nivy Bus Station will be a full-fledged station.
“The operator (Slovak Lines, editor’s note) decided to expand the shopping center with another store at the expense of passenger comfort. It significantly reduced the number of platforms and exits for passengers, who will have to bear the consequences of this decision, which brings operational complications and cramped conditions for passengers, especially during rush hour,” emphasized Peter Stach, spokesman for the carrier Arriva.
According to passengers, the biggest problem is that people are waiting in one line for several connections that go at different times. This creates confusion as to who gets on where, passengers do not know where to stand and pile up in one place. According to passengers, the station is overcrowded in the afternoon, when a lot of workers go home from work and the connections are crowded. Even from the ranks of transport experts, there was criticism that the reduced space will no longer be able to handle as many connections as are needed.
The situation automatically drew attention to the mall’s owner, HB Reavis. According to the Bratislava Self-Governing Region (BSK), he, as the owner, together with the operator of the station, Slovak Lines, is responsible for the changes. However, he referred to the data – it records a significant decrease in the use of the station, while from the originally planned capacity of no more than 1,800 connections, 900 will pass through it daily. The operation of AS Niva has thus become disadvantageous, as it has lost 112,000 connections per year since its opening in 2021.
Elsewhere they pay more for the station
“The reason is the decision of the private operator to reduce the capacity of the bus station in the capital of Slovakia and set its operation in such a way that it no longer covers the needs of public transport,” objected the chairman of the region, Juraj Droba.
However, Slovak Lines could not afford the financial loss, so it proceeded to reduce the area of the station and used the acquired space for renting a shop. At the same time, he raised rates for carriers. He therefore claims that it was a consequence of the functioning of the region.
“According to the BSK, the bus entry and exit fee rose from 13.28 euros at the end of 2021 to 20.74 euros in 2026, which represents an increase of 56 percent,” Stach emphasized, adding that Arrive is reimbursed by the customer of regional buses, i.e. the region.
At the same time, BSK decides whether to leave stops at the station and how the trains will serve them. However, in March of this year, Droba objected to Slovak Lines’ pricing. He stated that they pay outrageous amounts for being twice picks up ramp for the bus and for reducing passenger comfort. These are hundreds of connections per day.
Martin Hanula, spokesman for Slovak Lines told Pravda that they do not agree with criticism aimed at reducing passenger comfort. “The station offers above-standard, air-conditioned and barrier-free facilities in the Central European area. We also pay attention to the comfort of the drivers, for whom we have created a unique relaxation facility in Slovakia,” he added, adding that the space restrictions are related to the rebuilding of the station and as soon as it is finished, it will have more capacity again – within the limits of possibilities.
Hanula emphasized that even now the amount does not cover the full costs of operating the station. “The fees for using the Nivy station are based on the actual costs incurred for operation and maintaining the set standard. Considering the location and the high level of services provided, we perceive these fees as adequate, even compared to other stations in Slovakia,” he added.
“We consider it important that the Nivy station remains a key transport point for suburban transport, as its location and logistical setup are optimal for this purpose,” said Hanula, adding that the company considers more than 20 euros for the passage of one bus to be fair, as it corresponds to the value that carriers and passengers will receive for them.
“In an international comparison, carriers in neighboring countries pay significantly higher amounts for the use of stations or amounts that often do not even correspond to the level of equipment and services. We approach the increase of fees responsibly – we only implement it at the level of the annual rate of inflation,” explained the operator’s spokesperson.
Hanula stated that according to Slovak Lines, the fees do not affect the use of the station. The reduction of connections is related to the transport strategy of the region, so that regional buses end at the border of the city and do not enter the center. The reason is the effort to reduce the traffic load in Bratislava due to the influx of commuters from satellite cities and municipalities. Passengers should transfer to public transport at the city border.
However, Slovak Lines does not agree with this. “We are convinced that the concentration of connections in one modern hub brings the best economy of operation for all parties and maximum comfort for the traveling public,” said Hanula.
Naturally, the question arises as to why the region or the city did not collect the amount of the fee for using the station even before its establishment – through the contract with HB Reavis and Slovak Lines. According to experts, the construction of the station within the center by a private individual required a more thorough approach.
“As the operator of the station, we do not have any contracts with BSK or the capital. However, we are indirectly dependent on the decisions of the region as the transport orderer. It is the region that orders services from specific carriers and fully determines the timetables (charts). Our role ends with the provision of infrastructure for these carriers,” concluded Hanula.
Therefore, if the region orders fewer connections and adjusts the timetable to save money by avoiding the station, Slovak Lines reacts to this and compensates the loss. “Our costs were primarily affected by the increase in energy prices, labor costs and services related to security and maintenance,” explained the spokesperson of Slovak Lines, adding that the price is also influenced by how predictable and stable the ordering of connections by the region will be. According to him, this would also increase the overall profitability of the station.
The Bratislava self-governing region has a decisive position in the use of the station as the transport orderer. However, he stated for Pravda that they are looking for a compromise with the owners of the Nivy station, not with HB Reavis. “Constructive negotiations are currently underway between the owners of the Nivy station and BSK to set up cooperation so that it is as beneficial as possible for the traveling public,” concluded Lucia Forman, spokeswoman for BSK.
The county pays for Arriva
AS Nivy uses several carriers, but only Arrive fees are reimbursed by the municipality – because BSK ordered the services of the company. Stach therefore leaves the decision whether the fee is adequate to the discretion of the region.
However, Slovak Lines did not discuss the downsizing of the station with Arriva in advance and, according to him, “the meetings only dealt with the consequences of the operator’s decision with the aim of maintaining safe, reliable and predictable transport for passengers who come to Bratislava from all over the region every day, even in the new cramped conditions”.
Other carriers bear the costs themselves. “We perceive the increase in fees for using the Nivy bus station and it is reflected in our costs. But good accessibility for passengers, a central location and connectivity to other connections are key for us. That is why we will continue to use the station,” explained Lukáš Kubát for Regiojet. The company uses Nivy as a terminal for international bus lines going mainly to Vienna, Budapest, Brno and Prague.
Traffic analysts and urban planners marked the Nivy station is not suitable for its location in the bowels of the shopping center. Subsequently, the owner HB Reavis also thought about better access to the first floor, where it is located, and began the modifications. The escalator at the main entrance is currently being rebuilt so that it leads directly to the station, which was not possible before.
A more visible entrance to the platforms from the street has also been added. Passengers having to walk chaotically through the center to buses should be alleviated, but the station still gets the short end of the stick compared to the shops.
In addition, more than four years ago, there was a problem with the air at the station – the air quality was measured by activists with an unverified meter and living space standards. However, the terminal is not officially intended for a longer stay and according to the approved purpose it is a garage, therefore the owner HB Reavis appealed against the claim. However, passengers complained about the station’s air conditioning not keeping up in the summer months and the heavy air, which is also confirmed by the subsequent adjustment of the recovery by the owners to whom he approached.
Photo: Ľuboš Pilc
bus station nivy construction In 2018, the construction of Nív looked like this.
Last May, the spokeswoman for Niva centrum, Beáta Móriová, told Yimba that the modifications are to improve the climate with a more modern cooling and ventilation system. Three times as much fresh air as they are supposed to bring indirectly confirmed that the system was not ideal for the mixture of people and crops.
Even the carrier Arriva does not consider AS Nivy to be an ideal bus station. Besides, according to Stach, they are a better choice TIOPs on the outskirts of cities combining transfers from trains, trams and buses, he considers parallel transport services unnecessary. That is, when several carriers run the same or very similar routes at the same time – as it happens in and around Niva.
“The ideal central station should also serve as a transferable multimodal transport hub. Unfortunately, in the case of AS Niva, there is a historically absent connection to the railway, and it was not possible to build a connection to the tram line, which is the main public transport system in Bratislava,” concluded Stach.
