ADB-CDIA Kicks Off Study to Modernize Yerevan’s Public Transport System

October 27, 2025

On 22 October 2025, ADB-CDIA officially launched a project preparation study (PPS) in Yerevan, Armenia—a pivotal step toward modernizing the city’s public transportation system while advancing climate-resilient and low-emission urban mobility.

It engaged the German firm, A + S Consult GmbH, to carry out the PPS as part of ADB’s Empowering Mobility through Electric Urban Solutions (EMERGE) Project.

Public transportation remains the backbone of daily mobility in Yerevan. However, there has been a sharp rise in private vehicle use in recent years, driven primarily by limited investment in public transportation infrastructure. Although the Yerevan Municipality has made strides in upgrading its bus fleet, many vehicles remain outdated and require replacement. Transport emissions, responsible for 90% of air pollutants in the area, have also made air quality a pressing concern.

Through the EMERGE project, ADB is supporting the government in advancing a comprehensive strategy to modernize Yerevan’s urban public transport network. Key interventions focus on upgrading the public bus services, procuring electric buses, modernizing depots, improving the metro system, and constructing critical road links to enhance connectivity and reduce congestion.

As part of this initiative, ADB-CDIA will conduct pre-feasibility assessments toward a comprehensive public bus transport service plan. It will also develop the conceptual design of two bus priority corridors and two electric bus depots, devise traffic and parking management plans as well as communications and branding strategies, and undertake due diligence for potential ADB financing.

The PPS is CDIA’s second technical assistance for Yerevan. In 2022, it provided advisory and capacity-building support, resulting in key infrastructure, operational, and institutional recommendations, many of which have since been adopted by the government to improve transport service quality and reliability. See: CDIA’s Tracer Study (March 2024).

Drawing insights from the 2022 PPS, the EMERGE project is poised to support Yerevan’s next journey toward a greener, more accessible, and sustainable transport future—advancing public and non-motorized transport to ease congestion, reduce car dependence, and cut greenhouse gas emissions.