Trolleybuses in Ruse
The Ruse trolleybus system () 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. Over the years, various models of trolleybuses have been operated in Ruse. History

Initial years

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
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 the trolleybus network in 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 second-hand trolleybuses from various European countries. In 2015, around 70% of the overhead wire network was replaced under the integrated urban transport project. The repairs also involved repainting and replacing damaged trolleybus pillars. It was during this period that conductor service was discontinued for all trolleybus lines as a permanent cost-cutting measure. 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. Municipal transport
Since the local municipality reacquisition of the transport holding, many of the aging vehicles in the transit fleet have been retired. However, investments in additional trolleybuses in used condition continued to be made in order to ensure the operation of the trolleybus system. Throughout the city, new switches equipped with automatic remote control functionality have been installed to replace outdated infrastructure and enhance trolleybus performance. Services
Today, the Ruse trolleybus network has 7 lines:

Fleet

Current fleet

Trolleybus transport in Ruse is operated with used NAW Lauber 91T trolleybuses from Switzerland. They were delivered to the city in excellent technical condition in multiple tranches between 2019 and 2022. Ruse is expected to receive 15 new trolleybuses from Czech manufacturer SOR Libchavy by the end of 2023. Past fleet

See also

Ruse Central railway station
List of trolleybus systems

References

External links

 Trolleybus city: Ruse (Bulgaria) Trolleymotion. Ruse, Bulgaria
Ruse
Ruse