Extra seating due to be installed in Belfast's Grand Central Station in coming days
Translink said that it intends to add extra seating to Grand Central Station.
The vast, airport-like joint bus-and-rail terminal in central Belfast opened to the public for the first time on Sunday, replacing the old and defunct Great Victoria Street station.
When the News Letter visited on Monday to gauge the views of passengers, there were few complaints – though one which did surface from a traveller (Joan Hagan of Antrim) was that there were too few places to sit while waiting.
The level of passengers at the station is relatively low right now, given that the trains are not yet up-and-running (they are awaiting clearance by safety inspectors).
By the News Letter's guesstimate, there are roughly 140 or so seats in the main, downstairs area of the terminal where the buses (and later the trains too) will run from.
Meanwhile neither of the two cafes – Starbucks and Pret-a-Manger – are open yet (and nor is the BrewDog pub on the upper level).
Asked about this, Translink said: "There is going to be additional seating downstairs in the coming days.
"The station was left quite open for launch, etc.
"Of course once the mezzanine level and retail outlets open there will be even more places for people to relax.
"And, as Chris Conway [Translink CEO] said we will be monitoring everything on an ongoing basis and with passenger feedback."
You can give feedback to Translink here: www.translink.co.uk/ContactUs , by messaging 07583122646 on WhatsApp, ringing 02890666630, or emailing [email protected] .
When the News Letter did its straw poll of passengers on Monday, the view of the station was overwhelmingly positive.
Two Dubliners told the News Letter it eclipsed any similar stations in the Republic, while an American traveller likened it to Penn Station in New York City.
Finishing touches on the construction work had been going on right up until the last minute, and Mr Conway told the News Letter first 48 hours after the opening had gone “tremendously well”.
"All our operations are working, all our customer information is working, all our contactless ticketing, and of course all our passengers are coming through it and are really loving the new experience.
"Feedback has been excellent – we’re really, really pleased.”