Trolleybuses in Ruse

File:RUSE_1993.jpg trolleybus operating on route 27 in 1993]]

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.

File:Rousse - trolleybus2.jpg

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 trolleybus operations within 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 vehicles in used condition from various European countries. Investment was reported at 2 million euro.{{cite web |title=Русе ще е с нови тролеи|url=https://dnes.dir.bg/ruse/-3559032|publisher=dir.bg|accessdate=4 November 2023}} The local municipality financed the replacement of around 70% of the overhead wire network under the integrated urban transport project. Repairs also included the repainting and replacement of damaged trolleybus pillars.

During this period, conductor service was discontinued for all trolleybus lines as a permanent cost-cutting measure.{{cite web |last1=Kalamov |first1=Nikolai |title=Съкращават кондуктори в градския транспорт на Русе|url=https://trud.bg/article-5135398/|publisher=Trud |accessdate=19 January 2023}} 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.{{cite web |last1=Todorov |first1=Konstantin |title=Община Русе стана собственик на тролейбусния транспорт в града (снимки) |url=https://novini.bg/bylgariya/obshtestvo/441395 |publisher=Novini |accessdate=4 August 2019}}

Following the local municipality's reacquisition of the transport holding, a significant number of the aging vehicles in the transit fleet have been decommissioned. However, investments in additional trolleybuses in used condition continued in order to ensure the operation of the transport system. Deliveries occurred in multiple tranches between 2019 and 2022.{{cite web |title=Konec trolejbusů Škoda 21 Tr v Bulharsku|url=https://www.cs-dopravak.cz/konec-trolejbusu-skoda-21-tr-v-bulharsku/ |publisher=Československý Dopravák|accessdate=26 October 2023}}

New overhead switches equipped with automatic remote control functionality have been installed throughout the city in order to replace outdated infrastructure and enhance trolleybus performance.{{cite web |last1=NRJ Soft |title=Ен Ер Джи Софт ЕООД сключи Договор с Общински Транспорт Русе ЕАД |url=https://nrjsoft.com/en-er-dzhi-soft-eood-sklyuchi-dogovor-s-obshtinski-transport-ruse-ead |website=NRJ Soft |accessdate=26 December 2022}} Ruse received 15 modern trolleybuses from Czech manufacturer SOR Libchavy in 2023.{{cite web |title=The first new trolleybuses of "Municipal Transport" arrived from the Czech Republic|url=https://obshtinaruse.bg/en/the-first-new-trolleybuses-of-municipal-transport-arrived-from-the-czech-republic|publisher=Ruse Municipality |accessdate=8 December 2022}}

Today, the Ruse trolleybus network has 7 lines:

Trolleybus transport in Ruse operates SOR TNS 12, alongside used NAW/Lauber 91T vehicles.{{cite web |title=„Общински транспорт Русе“ ЕАД планира закупуване на още 10 употребявани дизелови автобуса за изпълнение на новата транспортна схема|url=https://rousse.info/общински-транспорт-русе-еад-плани-2/|publisher=Ruseinfo |accessdate=11 January 2024}}

{{portal|Buses|Bulgaria}}

• Ruse Central railway station
• List of trolleybus systems

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{{cite web |url=https://transport-ruse.com/schedule |title=Schedules |author= |date= |work=bg Transport Ruse website|publisher=Municipal Transport Ruse AD |accessdate=31 October 2021}} {{in lang|bg}}

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{{commonscat-inline|Trolleybuses in Rousse|Trolleybuses in Ruse}}

• [https://www.trolleymotion.eu/trolleystaedte/stadt/?id=37 Trolleybus city: Ruse (Bulgaria)] Trolleymotion.
• {{Urban Electric Transit | id = 1138 | title = Ruse | trolleybus = yes}}

{{Urban public transport in Bulgaria}}

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Category:Ruse, Bulgaria

Ruse

Ruse