First Tallinn trolleybus lines to reopen in July
Starting July 1, new battery-powered trolleybuses will begin serving passengers in Tallinn on routes 84 and 85. Beginning in August, they will also be introduced on routes 81, 83 and 72.
Tallinn's trolleybus routes will retain the route numbers used by the replacement bus services during the suspension of trolleybus operations: route 81 (Mustamäe–Kaubamaja), route 83 (Mustamäe–Kaubamaja), route 84 (Keskuse–Balti jaam), route 85 (Mustamäe–Balti jaam) and route 72 (Mustamäe–Kopli). Route 72 will also be extended to the Mustamäe State High School.
A total of 40 new Škoda battery-powered trolleybuses will be introduced, including 18 12-meter Škoda 32 Tr trolleybuses and 22 18-meter articulated Škoda 33 Tr trolleybuses. The new vehicles can travel up to 25 kilometers without using the overhead contact wire network.
All of the vehicles are low-floor models equipped with electric wheelchair ramps and wide doors. The two-axle trolleybuses can carry up to 69 passengers, while the articulated trolleybuses have a capacity of up to 120 passengers.
Trolleybus service was suspended in November 2024 because of the deteriorated condition of the trolley infrastructure and rolling stock, which required replacement. During the upgrade project, the overhead contact wire network on the Mustamäe corridor was reconstructed and the necessary infrastructure was built to support the new battery-powered trolleybuses. The previous overhead wire network in the city center was also removed, as the new trolleybuses will operate there on battery power.
The total cost of the trolleybus modernization project is €76.8 million, of which €51.9 million is being financed through the European Union's Modernization Fund.
Tallinn withdrew its trolleybuses from service in the fall of 2024 because they had deteriorated to the point that they likely would not have remained operational through the winter.
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Editor: Märten Hallismaa, Marcus Turovski
