The new public bus route in Beirut, shared by Minister Hamiyeh on his X account.
BEIRUT — Caretaker Public Works and Transport Minister Ali Hamieh announced on Tuesday the launch of a new public bus line connecting Nahr al-Mott, at Beirut's northern entrance, to the Lebanese American University (LAU) in Hamra, central Beirut, with stops at several key locations.
In one direction, the bus route includes stops at Nahr al-Mott, Jdeideh (Metn), Sassine Square, Gabriel Pharmacy in Achrafieh, Sodeco, Basta Bridge, the Mar Elias-Zarif intersection, Druze Community Headquarters in Verdun, and LAU in Hamra.
On the return route, the bus stops at Basta Bridge, Sodeco, Gabriel Pharmacy, Sassine Square, AUST, Hôtel-Dieu Hospital, the Justice Palace, and Corniche al-Nahr before looping back to Nahr al-Mott.
"To complete the public transport bus route, a new line will be launched tomorrow morning [Wednesday] from Nahr al-Mott, passing through Place Sassine, the LAU and Hôtel Dieu, all the way to the Palace of Justice," wrote Hamieh on X.
The long, indigo-blue buses have been operating in Beirut since July 2024. Previously absent from the city’s public transport system, which has long relied on private minibuses, the buses are part of a fleet of 49 vehicles donated by France in 2022. The Ministry, in coordination with the Office of Railways and Public Transport (OCFTC), put the buses into service.
In August 2023, the OCFTC awarded a contract to Ahdab Commuting & Trading Company (ACTC) to operate the fleet, which includes 93 buses — the 49 donated by France and additional vehicles. New routes are being regularly added to the network.