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Teplice: Municipal operation of the system – new trolleybuses to come

Škoda/SOR 30 Tr (2018) no. 115 ex 501 | © D. Budach

The trolleybus service in Teplice in the north of the Czech Republic was operated by the Arriva Group for several years, but some time ago the decision was made to transfer the management back into municipal hands. On 1 January 2024, the time had come: the city-owned Městská doprava Teplice took over line operation from Arriva City s.r.o. .

Currently, lines 101 to 109 are operated as trolleybuses and line 110 as a bus, usually every 30 minutes on weekdays, with various overlaps, resulting in a better service on many connections. However, not all sections of the trolleybus lines are actually covered by overhead wires – they are operated in battery mode. In recent years, battery trolleybuses with sufficiently powerful traction batteries have been procured for journeys away from the overhead line network. Diesel buses are also occasionally used on the trolleybus routes.

Škoda/SOR 32 Tr (2020) mno. 122 with traction batteries ex no. 508 in the city centre | © D. Budach
Škoda/Solaris 28 Tr (2015) 3-axle trolleybus no. 220 on route 105 | © D. Budach

Table – current trolleybus lines:

 
101Kladruby – Nová Ves – Bílá cesta – Třešňovka – Benešovo náměstí – Pražská – Šanov I lázně – Šanov II – Maršovská – Anger/Olympia
102Hudcov – Bratislavská – Valy – Benešovo náměstí – Hauptbahnhof – Rathäuser – Anger – Proboštov, Přítkov
103Prosetice – Pražská – Benešovo náměstí – Hlavní nádraží – Trnovany – Šanov II – Panorama
104Řetenice, Tolstého – Bratislava – Benešovo náměstí – Zeyerovo náměstí – Panorama
105Řetenice, Tolstého – Libušina – Benešovo náměstí – Trnovany – Šanov II – Panorama
106Nová Ves – Novoveská – Bílá cesta – Bratislavská – Libušina – Friedhof – Benešovo náměstí – Rathäuser – Luna – Maršovská – Anger
107Řetenice, Tolstého – Libušina – Benešovo náměstí – Pražská – Prosetice
108Nová Ves – Bílá cesta – Benešovo náměstí – Trnovany – Anger
109Olympia – Trnovany – Hauptbahnhof – Benešovo náměstí – Zeyerovo náměstí – Šanov I lázně – Pražská – Prosetice
© Městská doprava Teplice

Most of the vehicles were renumbered when they were taken over by the new transport company. The variety of types is quite remarkable – the current fleet is as follows:

100-102 Škoda/Iveco 24 Tr (2008) ex no. 169-171

103-104, 106-109 Škoda/Solaris 26 Tr (2009-10) ex no. 172-177

110-112 Škoda/SOR 30 Tr (2013) without traction batteries ex no. 178-180

113-114 Škoda/SOR 32 Tr (2019) without traction batteries ex no. 181-182

115-119 Škoda/SOR 30 Tr (2018) with traction batteries ex no. 501-505

120-124 Škoda/SOR 32 Tr (2020) with traction batteries ex no. 506-510

212-213 Škoda/Iveco 25 Tr (2008) articulated vehicle

214-220 Škoda/Solaris 28 Tr (2009-2015) three-axle vehicle

221 Škoda/SOR 33 Tr (2019) articulated vehicle

Škoda/Iveco 24 Tr (2008) nor. 100, Škoda/Solaris 26 Tr (2009) no. 103 and Škoda/Iveco 25 Tr (2008) articlulated trolleybus no. 212 | © Urban Transport Magazine
The single Škoda/SOR 33 Tr (2019) articulated trolleybus, behind Škoda/Iveco 25 Tr (2008) articulated trolleybus no. 213 and on the right Škoda/Solaris 28 Tr (2009) no. 213 three-axle trolleybus | © Urban Transport Magazine
Skoda/SOR 30 Tr battery-trolleybus no. 116 in battery mode in service on route 104 | © D. Budach

A Škoda 9Tr with the number 105, built in 1980, is also in the fleet as a museum car and runs a museum line on certain days. However, it is currently being overhauled.

The rest of the fleet consists of five Scania Citywide LF diesel buses with a length of 11.6 metres and two Isuzu NovoCiti midibuses, both purchased in 2023. The midibuses run on route 110.

Škoda has concluded a maintenance contract with the transport company to maintain the fleet in its own depot for an initial period of two years.

The Turkish manufacturer Bozankaya won an initial tender last year for the procurement of 10 battery-powered trolleybuses, including 2 articulated vehicles, over the local competitor Škoda, but the award procedure was cancelled for reasons that are not entirely clear. The tender is now being repeated.

With a population of 49,000, the rather small town of Teplice with its various historical buildings and parks still retains part of its former importance as a spa town, even if it has undoubtedly lost much of its former splendour. With its almost completely emission-free urban transport system, it will undoubtedly be a good example of environmentally friendly public transport for other towns of a similar size in the near future, with manageable investments.

City centre Teplice with three trolleybuses, nearest the camera isno. 215, a Skoda 28Tr/Solaris | © D. Budach

18.09.2024