The definitive transition from trolleybuses to modern electric buses has begun in Greece. On Sunday, the dismantling of overhead power cables commenced in Piraeus, marking the end of a system that served the urban fabric for over 70 years.
Deputy Minister of Transport, Constantine Kyranakis, announced that 70% of the overhead cables will be removed, starting in Piraeus and then proceeding to Athens. This move is aimed at freeing up the urban skyline and significantly reducing high-maintenance costs. As part of this transition, the existing trolleybus lines 17 and 20 will immediately be replaced by new, modern electric buses.
“The same clean energy that the trolleybus has provided for decades can now be covered by electric buses,” Kyranakis stated. “Today, we are gradually saying goodbye to the trolleybuses, not with ease but with respect for what they have offered, both as vehicles and as employees, to citizens for so many years.”
The Deputy Minister reassured the public and employees that the transition would not result in job losses. On the contrary, he affirmed that new drivers will be hired, salaries will increase, and the service will become more frequent and reliable, promising better timetables and improved passenger service.
A brief history of the trolleybus in Greece
The trolleybus system holds a significant place in the history of public transport in the Athens-Piraeus area, known for its contribution to clean urban transport before the widespread use of electric buses. The history of the modern electric trolleybus system in Greece officially began in 1954 with the establishment of the first line connecting Athens to Piraeus. This infrastructure replaced the older electric tram network, offering a new form of high-capacity, emission-free public transit.
The network quickly expanded, particularly in Athens, with the system being run by the Electric Transport Company (I.L.P.A.P., later ETHEL and OSY). The trolleybuses were valued for their quiet operation and lack of exhaust fumes in the congested city center. For over seven decades, the trolleybuses served as a reliable backbone of inner-city transport, particularly in high-density residential areas, establishing iconic routes and becoming a defining feature of the streetscape.
Despite periodic fleet upgrades, the fixed nature of the infrastructure and the high cost of maintaining the extensive overhead cable network eventually made the transition to battery-electric buses a more efficient and flexible modern solution, leading to the current phase-out.
Related: Athens Public Transport in the 1920s: Rare Black and White Footage Digitized