Trolleybuses in Ruse

The Ruse trolleybus system (Русенски тролейбусен транспорт) 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. Various models of trolleybuses have been operated in Ruse during the network's operation.

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 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. 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. 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
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.

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. Ruse received 15 modern trolleybuses from Czech manufacturer SOR Libchavy in 2023.

Services
Today, the Ruse trolleybus network has 7 lines:

Current fleet
Trolleybus transport in Ruse operates SOR TNS 12, alongside used NAW/Lauber 91T vehicles.