Trolleybuses in Ruse
Ruse trolleybus system | |||
---|---|---|---|
Operation | |||
Locale | Ruse, Bulgaria | ||
Open | 9 September 1988 | ||
Status | Open | ||
Routes | 7 | ||
Operator(s) | Общински Транспорт Русе АД (Municipal Transport Ruse AD) | ||
Infrastructure | |||
Electrification | 600 V DC | ||
Depot(s) | 1 | ||
Stock | 53 trolleybuses | ||
Statistics | |||
Track length (total) | 63 km (39 mi) | ||
| |||
Website | Municipal Transport Ruse (in English) |
The Ruse trolleybus system (Bulgarian: Русенски тролейбусен транспорт) forms part of the public transport network of the city and municipality of Ruse, the fifth most populous city in Bulgaria. Opened in 1988, the system currently has seven lines. Its approximate length is 63 km and has been designed to work with 600V DC electricity.[1] Over the years, various models of trolleybuses have been operated in Ruse.
History
The first trolleybus in the city of Ruse departed in 1988, along the route starting from the Western Industrial Zone. Lines were operated using ZiU-682 trolleybuses. In the following years, as the city was developing, so did the cable network. It was extended throughout the central areas and the industrial zones, replacing many bus routes with trolleybuses.
On 1 November 2008, Ruse municipality concluded a concession contract with the Bulgarian branch of the Israeli transport company Egged. Under the concession, management of the trolleybus network in the city became the responsibility of the private Egged Ruse transport holding. In 2015, around 70% of the overhead wire network was replaced under the integrated urban transport project. The project also focused on replacing a number of trolleybus pillars and their repainting. During this time period, lines also began operating without conductor service. 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, the trolleybus transport entity was once again transferred to the local municipality on August 31, 2017.[2] The municipally-owned company operating the trolleybus lines in the city is named "Municipal Transport Ruse". Under present conditions, not all of the trolleybus overhead network is being used and there are plans to increase the number of trolleybus lines in order to improve coverage. However, these plans also pose a number of challenges as some of the trolleybus infrastructure in Ruse has fallen into disrepair, most notably the trolleybus wires between the central station and the gray mill.
Services
Today, the Ruse trolleybus network has 7 lines:[3]
Line | Route | Stops |
---|---|---|
2 | "Treti Mart" Blvrd. – "Sent Uan" Str. – "Nikolaevska" Str. – "Skobelev" Blvrd. – "Lipnik" Blvrd. | 15 stops |
9 | Charodeika 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 | Charodeika 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 | Charodeika South-Residential District – "Hristo Botev" Blvrd. – "Syedinenie" Blvrd. – "Pliska" Str. – "Tutrakan" Blvrd. | 14 stops |
Fleet
Current fleet
The main short-term goal for Ruse municipality has been to ensure the operation of the trolleybus system. For this purpose, 12 Czech Skoda trolleybuses and 5 Swiss model NAW/Lauber in used condition were purchased to supplement the local fleet of aging vehicles in 2019. Determined to be most suitable for the current needs of the city, a further 20 NAW/Lauber vehicles were acquired by early 2022. A public tender for the purchase of 15 new trolleybuses to replace older vehicles has been launched.
Quantity | Manufacturer | Type | Model | Low-floor | Built | Remarks | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
25 units | NAW/Lauber | 91T | rigid | no | 1986–1990 | ex Lausanne. | |
8 units | FBW/Hess | 91T | rigid | no | 1982–1983 | ex Lausanne.
Some out of service. | |
12 units | Skoda Electric | 21TrACI | rigid | no | 2001-2003 | ex Plzeň.
Some out of service. | |
8 units | Renault | ER100H | rigid | no | 1989 | ex Limoges.
Some out of service. |
Past fleet
During the early years of the network, solely Soviet ZiU trolleys were used. Retired trolleybuses from the Swiss cities of Basel, Bern, and Winterthur were then introduced to the network in the late 1990s. The entire stock of vehicles, consisting of Soviet built ZiU and former Swiss trolleybuses, was replaced in several stages between 2008 and 2013 with second-hand trolleybuses from various European countries. Many of these vehicles have also been retired since the reacquisition of the transport holding by the local municipality, while others remain in operation.
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 | |
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 | |
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 |
See also
References
- ^ Mitko Marinov, Pavel Stoyanov (2011). "Analysis of the condition of the trolleybus electrical network in Ruse" (PDF). Retrieved 31 October 2021. (in Bulgarian)
- ^ Todorov, Konstantin. "Община Русе стана собственик на тролейбусния транспорт в града (снимки)". Novini. Novini. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
- ^ "Schedules". bg Transport Ruse website. Municipal Transport Ruse AD. Retrieved 31 October 2021. (in Bulgarian)
External links
Media related to Trolleybuses in Ruse at Wikimedia Commons
- Trolleybus city: Ruse (Bulgaria) Trolleymotion.
- Ruse database / photo gallery and Ruse trolleybus list at Urban Electric Transit – in various languages, including English.