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 27Tr Solaris trolleybus in Sofia
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)
Websiteelektrotransportsf.com

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

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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

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As of April 2024, 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

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Current fleet

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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:

Quantity In service Model Year built Fleet numbers Notes
50 50 Škoda 27Tr Solaris III 2013-2014 1650-1674, 2675-2699
30 30 Škoda 27Tr Solaris IV 2020-2021 2801-2830
30 30 Škoda 26Tr Solaris III 2010 1603-1632
16 5 Ikarus 280.92 1985-1988 2054, 2115, 2117, 2123, 2614, 2623, 2702-2703, 2711-2712, 2715, 2723, 2909, 2913, 2915, 2922 Total of 151 units delivered
11 1 Ikarus 280.92F 2104-2109, 2608-2609, 2617, 2902-2903 Facelift, modernized 2008-2015
3 0 Cobra GD 272 2003-2005 2002-2004 Güleryüz bodywork, Romanian electrical equipment, assembled by Tramkar
1 0 Gräf & Stift GЕ 152 M18 1986 1801 8 units delivered 2006 from Innsbruck

The heritage fleet consists of the following vehicles:

Model Year built Status Notes
Škoda 9TrHT28 1981 Unrestored Ex Plovdiv. In private ownership.
Škoda 14Tr06 1985 Unrestored Ex Stara Zagora, née Sofia
DAC-Chavdar 317 Etr 1986 Unrestored Ex Pernik. In private ownership.
ZiU-682 1987 Restored Ex Stara Zagora

Past fleet

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Quantity Model Years in service Notes
2 MAN MPE 1 1941-1956
26 MTB-82 1948-1960s
67 TB-51 1951-1971 Bulgarian-made version of the Soviet MTB-82
244 Skoda 9Tr 1964-1990
12 MAN/Kässbohrer/Kiepe 610 FEC 1 1967-1974 ex Dortmund
3 Ikarus 280T 1980-1984 Rebuilt from diesel buses with Skoda 9Tr electrical equipment
19 Gräf & Stift GEO I, GEO II, GE 120 1984-1987 ex Linz
20 Skoda 14Tr06 1985-1987 Transferred to other Bulgarian towns
70 ZiU-682 1986-2004
23 DAC-Chavdar 317 Etr 1987-1994
1 Tramkar-Chavdar 130 1994-2010 Prototype

Depots

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  • 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

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References

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