Bucharest adds 22 trolleybuses with battery autonomy as public transport upgrade continues

The Bucharest City Hall has announced the arrival of 22 new trolleybuses with battery autonomy, marking another step in the modernization of the capital’s public transport fleet operated by STB. Each vehicle will undergo testing and individual acceptance procedures, with passenger service expected to begin this spring on Line 86.

The trolleybuses, purchased with non-reimbursable European funds, are currently stored at the supplier’s facility in Ciolpani. They will be transferred to the Bucureștii Noi depot after final technical adjustments are completed, the City Hall said.

The new vehicles are 12 meters long and can carry up to 93 passengers, including 32 seated. Thanks to their battery systems, they can operate without connection to the overhead electric network for at least 20 kilometers.

They are also equipped with air conditioning, passenger information monitors, wheelchair access ramps, and tinted windows designed to help maintain a comfortable interior temperature.

The contract for the 22 trolleybuses is worth RON 70.4 million (excluding VAT) and was fully financed through non-reimbursable funds from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR).

The City Hall also said that the trolleybuses are part of a broader investment program aimed at renewing Bucharest’s public transport system.

The municipality has already purchased 100 electric buses and plans to install 100 charging stations for them by the end of the year, after which the buses will be introduced into service. That contract is valued at EUR 73.8 million, with EUR 52 million coming from non-reimbursable EU funds.

In addition, Bucharest City Hall plans to acquire another 100 trolleybuses and 79 trams using European funding secured at the end of last year, totaling more than RON 553 million. Procurement procedures and delivery schedules for these vehicles are yet to be announced.

(Photo source: Facebook/Primaria Municipiului Bucuresti)