The Estonian capital, Tallinn, has resumed operation of its trolleybus network. From 1 July 2026, the first vehicles from the city’s new trolleybus fleet entered passenger service. Following the temporary suspension of trolleybus operations in 2024, electric traction is now gradually returning to the principal corridors of the network.
The future of the system had been the subject of prolonged debate, following several rounds of network rationalisation over recent decades. Prior to the suspension of operations, just four routes remained in service.
The relaunch begins with Routes 84 and 85, which are now operated by the new battery trolleybuses. According to the city’s implementation programme, Routes 81, 83 and 72 are scheduled to follow from August as additional vehicles enter service.
Tallinn has ordered a total of 40 battery trolleybuses from Škoda Group, comprising electrical equipment supplied by Škoda and bodied by SOR Libchavy in the Czech Republic. The fleet consists of 18 standard 12 m vehicles and 22 articulated 18 m vehicles – we last reported here: https://www.urban-transport-magazine.com/en/tallinn-the-first-new-battery-trolleybus-to-revive-the-system-in-tallinn-has-arrived/
A key feature of the new fleet is its high-capacity traction battery system, enabling operation for up to 25 km away from the overhead contact system. This allows overhead wiring to be omitted in environmentally and historically sensitive areas, while also providing greater flexibility for route extensions beyond the electrified network. The traction batteries are automatically recharged during operation on section of the route with overhead wiring, allowing the vehicles to combine conventional trolleybus operation with extended off-wire capability.
