The large trolleybus system in Bishkek, the capital city of the Kyrgyz Republic in Central Asia, was closed on 8 November 2024, initiated by the municipal government under the lead of Mayor Aybek Jushunaliev. The announcement to close the service in the city, to dismantle the network and the infrastructure and to transfer most of the fleet of modern low-floor trolleybuses to other cities was just made in 2023, and within months the entire system was shut down. Gas buses and battery buses were to replace the trolleybuses.
The abandonment of a zero-emission public transport system is difficult to understand, especially in a city where a lot of other routes are currently served by diesel buses, gas buses and marshrutkas (private minibuses) which could have been the obvious candidates for a conversion to e-buses. And even further, the existing trolleybus network could have been used as the perfect basis for the use of IMC-trolleybuses. This technology of In-Motion Charging allows for combined electric operation beyond the overhead network while using the traction batteries which are charged with any time loss during the operation under overhead network.
But it is even more surprising that large part of Bishkek’s trolleybus fleet had been renewed between 2013 and 2018 using public financing of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and that these vehicles have by far not reach the end of their lifecycle. The funding was granted in two tranches totalling $23.5 million to purchase 131 trolleybus and maintain electrical equipment. Representatives of the EBRD were not informed beforehand about the decision to close the system and to transfer the vehicles financed by them. When they became aware of the situation, EBRD left it very clear in a statement sent to the Mayor’s office (dd. 24 June 2024) that “EBRD financing is for trolleybuses operating in Bishkek” and “EBRD’s consent is required to any transfer, lease or other disposition of all or a substantial portion of the assets operated by the project subject”. However, these concerns did not have any practical effect.
The city of Bishkek officially announced that 100 trolleybuses were to be transferred free of charge to the system of Osh in the country upon request of Osh’s municipal administration. There actually was (and is) no need for additional vehicles. Osh has already received two EBRD-funded projects for electric transport and has 23 trolleybuses in operation – there is no need for extra fleet additions because it has only two active trolleybus lines today. A third line is planned and some preparations hav started but even then the maximum requirement for vehicles in service would not exceed a total of 45 trolleybuses. A substantial number of Bishkek’s newer trolleybuses were actually passed on to Osh and the small system of Naryn, but most of them haven’t seen service again and are in derelict condition. In the meantime the system of Naryn has been already been closed down entirely.
Large-scale abandonment of Bishkek’s system started in summer 2024. According to the official statement, seven out of the ten trolleybus routes were “temporarily” closed due to road construction works. Prior to this, the system consisted of 210 km of overhead wires and 183 trolleybuses.
In summer 2024 there were numerous public protests against the abandonment of the capital city’s trolleybuses while a start was made in dismantle the overhead lines step by step. Today, most of the overhead network has been scrapped and the depot and workshop facilities are reconstructed for the purpose of e-bus service. Four court cases were filed against City Hall and the Trolleybus Company, arguing that they had violated laws regarding the decision-making process. The cases are still ongoing.
Since November 2024, trolleybuses have been replaced by gas buses, but these do not offer any additional capacity. This has led to overcrowding and a poorer service for city residents. As of May 2025, there is no electric public transport in operation. One of the most recent updates is that the remaining trolleybuses are to be converted into electric buses. Instead of having 300 zero-emission buses, the transport system now has none.
Bishkek as the capital city of Kyrgyzstan joined EBRD Green Cities in 2019 with the aim of addressing their environmental issues and improving the quality of life of their residents. The trolleybus project’s objectives were to improve the efficiency and quality of local services, improve environmental and social conditions associated with the renewal of the city’s trolleybus fleet, the restoration of the trolleybus power supply system and the supply of key maintenance equipment. The Asian Development Bank financed the procurement of 120 electric buses with the aim of improving the environment and the quality of service. However, the closure of trolleybuses by any means did not contribute to this aim.
