Trolleybuses in Ruse

Coordinates: 43°51′N 25°58′E / 43.850°N 25.967°E / 43.850; 25.967
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Ruse trolleybus system
NAW trolleybus operating in Ruse, Bulgaria.
Operation
LocaleRuse, Bulgaria
Open9 September 1988 (1988-09-09)
StatusOpen
Routes7
Operator(s)Общински Транспорт Русе АД
(Municipal Transport Ruse AD)
Infrastructure
Electrification600 V DC
Depot(s)1
Stock37 trolleybuses
Statistics
Track length (total)63 km (39 mi)
Overview
Websitehttp://www.transport-ruse.com Municipal Transport Ruse (in English)

The Ruse trolleybus system (Bulgarian: Русенски тролейбусен транспорт) is a part of the public transport network of the city and municipality of Ruse, the fifth most populous in Bulgaria. Opened in 1988, the system currently has seven lines and forms the backbone of the city's transport system. Its approximate length is 63 km and has been designed to work with 600V DC electricity, although not all infrastructure is actively in use.[1] Various models of trolleybuses have been operated in Ruse during the network's operation.

History[edit]

Initial years[edit]

A ZiU-9 trolleybus operating on route 27 in 1993

The first trolleybus in the city of Ruse departed in 1988, along the route starting from the Western Industrial Zone. Lines were operated solely using ZiU trolleybuses. Although it was a new trolleybus system built in difficult times of economic stagnation, which worsened after the fall of the communist regime in the country, the network managed to branch out. Trolleybuses offered reliable transport connections in the busiest transport directions, replacing many bus routes. Retired trolleybuses from the Swiss cities of Basel, Bern, and Winterthur were introduced to the network in the late 1990s.

Private holding[edit]

Iveco Socimi trolleybus operating on Tutrakan Blvd. in 2016

It was announced on November 1, 2008 that Ruse municipality had signed a concession agreement with the Bulgarian branch of the Israeli transport company Egged. Under the concession, management of trolleybus operations within the city became the responsibility of the private Egged Ruse transport holding.

The entire stock of vehicles, consisting of Soviet built ZiU and former Swiss trolleybuses, was replaced in several stages between 2008 and 2013 with vehicles in used condition from various European countries. Investment was reported at 2 million euro.[2] The local municipality financed the replacement of around 70% of the overhead wire network under the integrated urban transport project. Repairs also included the repainting and replacement of damaged trolleybus pillars.

During this period, conductor service was discontinued for all trolleybus lines as a permanent cost-cutting measure.[3] Passengers instead purchase subscription and prepaid cards or a single-use ticket directly from the driver. After nearly nine years of operating under a private holding and low overall profitability, the trolleybus transport entity was transferred back to the local municipality on August 31, 2017.[4]

Municipal transport[edit]

Following the local municipality's reacquisition of the transport holding, a significant number of the aging vehicles in the transit fleet have been decommissioned. However, investments in additional trolleybuses in used condition continued in order to ensure the operation of the transport system. Deliveries occurred in multiple tranches between 2019 and 2022.[5]

New overhead switches equipped with automatic remote control functionality have been installed throughout the city in order to replace outdated infrastructure and enhance trolleybus performance.[6] Ruse received 15 modern trolleybuses from Czech manufacturer SOR Libchavy in 2023.[7]

Services[edit]

Today, the Ruse trolleybus network has 7 lines:[8]

Line Route Stops
2 "Treti Mart" Blvrd. – "Sent Uan" Str. – "Nikolaevska" Str. – "Skobelev" Blvrd. – "Lipnik" Blvrd. 15 stops
9 Charodeyka South-Residential District – "Hristo Botev" Blvrd – "Stefan Stambolov" Str. – "Treti Mart" Blvrd. 12/13 stops
13 Druzhba 3 Residential District – "Dame Gruev" Str. – "Tsar Osvoboditel" Blvrd. - "Lipnik" Blvrd. – Ruse Sorting yard. 14 stops
21 Charodeyka South-Residential District – "Tsar Osvoboditel" Blvrd. – "Lipnik" Blvrd. – Ruse Sorting yard. 13 stops
24 Druzhba 3 Residential District – "Tsar Osvoboditel" Blvrd – "Skobelev" Blvrd. – "Treti Mart" Blvrd. 13/14 stops
27 Druzhba 3 Residential District – "Hristo Botev" Blvrd. – "Syedinenie" Blvrd. – "Tutrakan" Blvrd. 15 stops
29 Charodeyka South-Residential District – "Hristo Botev" Blvrd. – "Syedinenie" Blvrd. – "Pliska" Str. – "Tutrakan" Blvrd. 14 stops

Fleet[edit]

Current fleet[edit]

Trolleybus transport in Ruse operates SOR TNS 12, alongside used NAW/Lauber 91T vehicles.[9]

In service Manufacturer Type Model Low-floor Built Remarks
15 units SOR Libchavy TNS 12 rigid yes 2023 Hybrid trolleybuses
22 units NAW/Lauber 91T rigid no 1986–1990 ex Lausanne.

Past fleet[edit]

Quantity Manufacturer Type Model Low-floor Built Remarks
56 units ZiU ZiU-9 rigid no 1988-1990 Soviet built vehicles.
5 units ZiU ZiU-10 articulated no 1989 Soviet built vehicles.
6 units Berna 4GTP articulated no 1965-1969 ex Basel and Winterthur
4 units FBW Tr51 rigid no 1956 ex Basel
6 units FBW GTr51 articulated no 1961 ex Bern
29 units Iveco 2470 Socimi rigid no 1983-1984 ex Milan.

1 vehicle donated to Ruse University.

2 units Skoda Electric 14Tr rigid no 1989 ex Plzeň. Training vehicle retired in June 2022.
7 units Neoplan N6021 articulated yes 1995–1996 ex Basel
2 units Mercedes-Benz O405GTD articulated no 1990 ex Esslingen
8 units FBW/Hess 91T rigid no 1982–1983 ex Lausanne.

Retired 2022. 2 units scrapped.

8 units Renault ER100H rigid no 1989 ex Limoges.

Retired 2022. 2 units scrapped.

12 units Skoda Electric 21TrACI rigid no 2001-2003 ex Plzeň.

Retired 2023.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Mitko Marinov, Pavel Stoyanov (2011). "Analysis of the condition of the trolleybus electrical network in Ruse" (PDF). Retrieved 31 October 2021. (in Bulgarian)
  2. ^ "Русе ще е с нови тролеи". dir.bg. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  3. ^ Kalamov, Nikolai. "Съкращават кондуктори в градския транспорт на Русе". Trud. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  4. ^ Todorov, Konstantin. "Община Русе стана собственик на тролейбусния транспорт в града (снимки)". Novini. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  5. ^ "Konec trolejbusů Škoda 21 Tr v Bulharsku". Československý Dopravák. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  6. ^ NRJ Soft. "Ен Ер Джи Софт ЕООД сключи Договор с Общински Транспорт Русе ЕАД". NRJ Soft. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  7. ^ "The first new trolleybuses of "Municipal Transport" arrived from the Czech Republic". Ruse Municipality. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  8. ^ "Schedules". bg Transport Ruse website. Municipal Transport Ruse AD. Retrieved 31 October 2021. (in Bulgarian)
  9. ^ "„Общински транспорт Русе" ЕАД планира закупуване на още 10 употребявани дизелови автобуса за изпълнение на новата транспортна схема". Ruseinfo. Retrieved 11 January 2024.

External links[edit]

Media related to Trolleybuses in Ruse at Wikimedia Commons

43°51′N 25°58′E / 43.850°N 25.967°E / 43.850; 25.967

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