Trolleybuses in Sofia

The Sofia trolleybus system (Bulgarian: Тролейбусен транспорт София) forms part of the public transport network of Sofia, the capital city of Bulgaria.

Sofia trolleybus system
Škoda Solaris 26Tr trolleybus in Sofia, 2016.
Operation
LocaleSofia, Bulgaria
Open14 February 1941 (14 February 1941)
StatusOpen
Routes10
Owner(s)Sofia Capital Municipality
Operator(s)Sofia Public Electrical Transport Company JSC
Infrastructure
Electrification600 V DC
Depot(s)3
Stock129
Statistics
Track length (total)257 km (160 mi)
Route length193 km (120 mi)
WebsiteSofia Public Electrical Transport Company JSC (in English)

In operation since 14 February 1941, the system presently comprises ten routes with 257 km network build, of which 193 km are currently in use.

As of 2010 the average speed of the trolleybus system in Sofia is 14.4 km/h.

History

Trolleybus transport was the last form of surface public transport to develop in Sofia, after buses and trams. The first Sofia trolleybus line opened on 14 February 1941. It was over 3 km (2 mi) long, and connected the city with the Gorna Banya quarter.[1] The line was covered by 2 MAN trolleybuses, which were stored on the last stops during the night, due to the lack of depot.

In the 1950s and 1960s, massive development of the trolleybus transport in Sofia began. At that time, the construction of new trolleybus routes proceeded especially rapidly, and two depots ("Stochna Gara" and "Nadezhda") were opened, with a total capacity of 160 trolleybuses. In 1951, the first Bulgarian made trolleybuses entered service.[1]

In 1987, a new depot, "Iskar", was opened with a capacity of 130 trolleybuses.[1] Levski depot was opened in 1994 with capacity of 60 trolleybuses. As of 2015 two depots are in operation: Nadezhda and Iskar. Levski depot operates as a maintenance only facility.

Lines

As of October 2020, the following trolleybus lines in Sofia are in service:

Line Route Depot
1 Levski G Residential District – Fifth City Hospital Nadezhda
2 Hadzhi Dimitar Residential District – Buxton Residential District Iskar
3 St. Anna Hospital – Nadezhda Overpass Nadezhda
4 Druzhba 2 Residential District – Hadzhi Dimitar Residential District Iskar
5 Mladost 2 Residential District – Nadezhda Overpass Iskar
6 Lyulin 3 Residential District – Stochna gara Square Nadezhda
7 Lyulin 3 Residential District – Gotse Delchev Residential District Nadezhda
8 Stochna gara Square – Gotse Delchev Residential District Iskar
9 Borovo Residential District – Stochna gara Square Nadezhda
11 Druzhba 1 Residential District – Stochna gara Square Iskar

Trolleybus fleet

Current fleet

As of May 2020, the Sofia trolleybus fleet consisted of 129 trolleybuses.

The following models are currently part of the fleet:

QuantityIn serviceModelYear builtNotes
5050Škoda 27Tr Solaris III2013-2014
3030Škoda 26Tr Solaris III2010
2221Ikarus 280.921985-1988Total of 151 units delivered
1616Ikarus 280.92F1985-1988Facelift, modernized 2008-2015
80Gräf & Stift GЕ 152 M181988Delivered 2006 from Innsbruck
30Cobra GD 2722003-2005Body by Güleryüz, Romanian electrical equipment, assembled by Tramkar

The following vehicles are currently on order:

QuantityModelDelivery
30Škoda 27Tr Solaris IVApr-Oct 2021

The heritage fleet consists of the following vehicles:

ModelYear builtStatusNotes
Škoda 9TrHT281981Non-operationalEx Plovdiv. In private ownership.
Škoda 14Tr061985Non-operationalEx Stara Zagora, née Sofia
DAC-Chavdar 317 Etr1986Non-operationalEx Pernik. In private ownership.
ZiU-6821987OperationalEx Stara Zagora

Past fleet

QuantityModelYears in serviceNotes
2MAN MPE 11941-1956
26MTB-821948-1960s
67TB-511951-1971Bulgarian-made version of the Soviet MTB-82
244Skoda 9Tr1964-1990
12MAN 610 FEC11967-1974ex Dortmund
3Ikarus 280T1980-1984Rebuilt from diesel buses with Skoda 9Tr electrical equipment
11Gräf & Stift/BBC GEO I1984-1987ex Linz
8Gräf & Stift/BBC GEO II1984-1987ex Linz
20Skoda 14Tr061985-1987Transferred to other Bulgarian towns
70ZiU-6821986-2004
23DAC-Chavdar 317 Etr1987-1994
1Tramkar-Chavdar 1301994-2010Prototype

Depots

  • Nadezhda - located on podpolkovnik Kalitin street, operates lines 1, 3, 6, 7 and 9;
  • Iskar - located on Amsterdam street, operates lines 2, 4, 5, 8 and 11;
  • Levski - located on Bessarabia street, serves as maintenance and overhaul facility and for storage and dismantling of decommissioned vehicles

See also

References

  1. "History of Trolleybus Transport". Urban Mobility Centre website. Urban Mobility Centre, Sofia. Retrieved 10 August 2011. External link in |work= (help) (in English)
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