Preparations are in full swing at Fisandratana bus station. Its opening is scheduled for today. The new Fisandratana bus station, located in Amoron'Akona, is beginning to welcome transporters. Yesterday, cooperatives from RN7 that previously operated at Fasan'ny Karana prepared their installation at this new site, along with cooperatives from the RN2 axis. "They are among the 80 cooperatives selected to operate at this station," emphasized the general director of the Land Transport Agency (ATT), met on site as part of preparations for the opening scheduled for today.
These professionals appreciate the modernity of the new site. "Here, it's calm, it's clean, far from the chaos of Fasan'ny Karana," says one operator, speaking anonymously. Some transporters are even in favor of closing the old bus station. "This is an essential step to enhance and ensure the success of Fisandratana station," they add. For its part, the ATT has chosen to remain silent on this matter. The closure of Fasan'ny Karana bus station is not on the agenda for now.
A two-headed organization is emerging for transporters. Cooperatives will operate two separate counters, divided between the Fasan'ny Karana site and Fisandratana bus station. Transport professionals still express doubts about user adoption of this new station. They mention a blind launch. "We have two departures to Toamasina and Moramanga today, but uncertainty is total. The reservation book remains empty for now," says one operator.
Some transporters have not scheduled any departures today. They explain that most of their reservations remain based at Fasan'ny Karana and that an adaptation period is still necessary. "This change will increase transport costs for passengers. Most of them are traders who stock up in the city center. To reach this new station, they will either need to take multiple bus trips or hire a taxi," laments Bonde, a transporter operating on national road 2 (RN2).
To address access difficulties, the Ministry of Transport and Meteorology announced last week the creation of new service lines to the By-Pass, as well as the deployment of shuttles connecting all bus stations in Antananarivo. The objective is to streamline passenger pre-transport from different neighborhoods of the capital to their intercity departure points.
The service network covers routes to the Center and South, from Andramasina to Toliara, passing through Antsirabe, Ambositra and Fianarantsoa, the West, with Miandrivazo and Morondava, as well as the Southeast, from Mananjary to Tolagnaro. The RN2 axis includes lines to Manjakandriana, Moramanga, Vatomandry and the Alaotra region, before extending to the East coast toward Toamasina and Fénérive-Est.