Sofia trolleybus system
Škoda Solaris 27Tr trolleybus in Sofia, 2022.
Operation
LocaleSofia, Bulgaria
Open8 February 1941 (8 February 1941)
StatusOpen
Routes10
Owner(s)Stolichna Municipality
Operator(s)Sofia Electric Transport JSC
Infrastructure
Electrification600 V DC
Depot(s)3
Stock141
Statistics
Track length (total)257 km (160 mi)
Route length193 km (120 mi)
Websitehttp://www.elektrotransportsf.com/index.php?lang=en Official website (in English)

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

In operation since 8 February 1941, the system presently comprises ten routes with 257 km (160 mi) network build, of which 193 km (120 mi) are currently in use.

As of 2020 the average speed of the trolleybus system in Sofia is 15.7 km/h.[1]

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 8 February 1941. It was over 3 km (2 mi) long, and connected the city with the Gorna Banya quarter.[2] 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.[2]

In 1987, a new depot, "Iskar", was opened with a capacity of 130 trolleybuses.[2] Levski depot was opened in 1994 with capacity of 60 trolleybuses. As of 2021 three depots are in operation: Nadezhda, Iskar and Levski. The latter also serves as a storage and overhaul facility.

Lines

As of November 2021, the following trolleybus lines in Sofia are in service:

Line Route Depot
1 Levski G Residential District – Fifth City Hospital Levski
2 Hadzhi Dimitar Residential District – Buxton Residential District Iskar
3 Levski G Residential District – St. Anna Hospital Iskar
4 Druzhba 2 Residential District – Hadzhi Dimitar Residential District Iskar
5 Mladost 2 Residential District – Nadezhda Overpass Nadezhda/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 December 2022, the Sofia trolleybus fleet consisted of 141 trolleybuses, of which around 120 are serviceable.

The following models are currently part of the fleet:

QuantityIn serviceModelYear builtFleet numbersNotes
5050Škoda 27Tr Solaris III2013-20141650-1674, 2675-2699
3030Škoda 27Tr Solaris IV2020-20212801-2830
3030Škoda 26Tr Solaris III20101603-1632
165Ikarus 280.921985-19882054, 2115, 2117, 2123, 2614, 2623, 2702-2703, 2711-2712, 2715, 2723, 2909, 2913, 2915, 2922Total of 151 units delivered
111Ikarus 280.92F2104-2109, 2608-2609, 2617, 2902-2903Facelift, modernized 2008-2015
30Cobra GD 2722003-20052002-2004Güleryüz bodywork, Romanian electrical equipment, assembled by Tramkar
10Gräf & Stift GЕ 152 M18198618018 units delivered 2006 from Innsbruck

The heritage fleet consists of the following vehicles:

ModelYear builtStatusNotes
Škoda 9TrHT281981UnrestoredEx Plovdiv. In private ownership.
Škoda 14Tr061985UnrestoredEx Stara Zagora, née Sofia
DAC-Chavdar 317 Etr1986UnrestoredEx Pernik. In private ownership.
ZiU-6821987RestoredEx 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/Kässbohrer/Kiepe 610 FEC 11967-1974ex Dortmund
3Ikarus 280T1980-1984Rebuilt from diesel buses with Skoda 9Tr electrical equipment
19Gräf & Stift GEO I, GEO II, GE 1201984-1987ex Linz
20Skoda 14Tr061985-1987Transferred to other Bulgarian towns
70ZiU-6821986-2004
23DAC-Chavdar 317 Etr1987-1994
1Tramkar-Chavdar 1301994-2010Prototype

Depots

  • Nadezhda - opened in 1962, located on podpolkovnik Kalitin street, operates lines 5, 6, 7 and 9; houses trolleybuses with fleet numbers starting with 2
  • Iskar - opened in 1987, located on Amsterdam street, operates lines 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 and 11; houses trolleybuses with fleet numbers starting with 1
  • Levski - opened in 1994, located on Bessarabia street, serves as maintenance and overhaul facility and for storage and dismantling of decommissioned vehicles. Since November 2021 also operates line 1.

See also

References

  1. Sofiaplan (2020). "Sofiaplan Transport Infographic" (PDF). Retrieved 22 March 2021. (in Bulgarian)
  2. 1 2 3 "History of Trolleybus Transport". Urban Mobility Centre, Sofia. Retrieved 10 August 2011. (in English)
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