Türkiye will deploy 630 low-emission buses sourced from 25 municipalities to transport participants during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, as organizers prepare a comprehensive transportation plan to manage traffic and accommodate large crowds.
The fleet comprises 71 electric buses, 233 natural gas-powered buses and the remainder low-emission diesel vehicles. All the buses were manufactured in Türkiye and brought to Antalya to serve participants traveling between hotels, the airport, the bus terminal, the city center and the conference venue.
The transportation plan, coordinated by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, aims to reduce traffic congestion, improve access to the conference site and ensure the smooth operation of logistical activities throughout the summit.
Ahmet Sami Kulaklıoğlu, head of the ministry's Support Services Department, said that a dedicated public transportation system had been designed to serve the conference's two main sections, the Blue Zone and the Green Zone.
Organizers expect around 50,000 visitors daily in the Blue Zone and more than 100,000 in the Green Zone, Kulaklıoğlu said, noting that participants will be transported from accommodation areas and key transit points to the conference venue.
“COP is a climate summit. Therefore, we are using low-emission buses in the transportation system in line with the spirit of the summit,” he said, adding that all 630 buses would operate throughout the conference.
Preparations for the summit have also prompted the establishment of a natural gas refueling station in Antalya. Kulaklıoğlu said the city had no natural gas-powered buses before COP31 preparations, making the new facility necessary to support the vehicles brought in from other municipalities.
The station has been completed and refueling operations have begun, he said, adding that the infrastructure would remain in place after the summit and could support the continued use of natural gas-powered buses in the city's public transportation network.
The COP31 site, including the Blue and Green zones, covers 1.2 million square meters. Parking facilities with capacity for 5,000 cars and 400 buses have also been prepared, according to Kulaklıoğlu.
Some 19 transportation routes will connect the conference venue with accommodation areas, including Belek, Kundu, Lara, Kemer and Alanya. Participants will also be able to reach the venue by tram from the city center.
Access arrangements will differ between the two zones. A pedestrian overpass will connect visitors to the Blue Zone, while electric buses departing from the parking area will provide access to the Green Zone.
Organizers have developed a separate logistics plan to minimize disruption during the conference. Trucks delivering materials to the venue will be directed to a designated area within the parking facilities and subjected to security checks.
Deliveries will take place between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. to prevent interference with daytime events and reduce traffic congestion, Kulaklıoğlu said.
