Trolleybuses Returns to Prague After 50 Years

Trolleybuses return to Prague. 50 years later. On Monday, the Prague Transport Company  (DPP) began the construction of a trolleybus line from Palmovka via Prosek and Letňany to Čakovice.

The trolleybus number 58 will run along the new line, replacing the existing bus line number 140.

“We are starting to build an eleven-kilometer line, thus returning trolleybus traffic to the streets of Prague,” said Adam Schreinherr, Deputy Mayor for Transport (Praha Sobě).

The construction of the abovementioned line will cost 283.7 million crowns and should take about ten months.

The company will use the already built section in Prosecká Street, while a brand-new line will be established between Palmovka and Kundratka, Kelerka and Prosecká, and between Letňany terminal and Čakovice shopping center.

The DPP is also considering setting up several more trolleybus lines in the city, for example, to connect passengers with the Czech capital’s main airport. In total, the DPP is currently planning to buy 15 trolleybuses.

Electric buses are also being considered as a transport provider between Prague and the Central Bohemian town of Brandýs nad Labem.

Trolleybuses were first set up in the Czech capital in 1936, but they were discontinued during the 1970s.

Future outlook

Even though the current trolleybus network is small, if testing is successful it could begin to grow in the next few years.

Trolleybuses have strong support from within the public transport company, city major as well as public based on being both clean and efficient.

The wired section of the current trolleybus system, while not covering the full length of the line, helps recharge batteries while the vehicle is in operation, which in turn reduces the need for high-capacity batteries and their weight.

Therefore, less energy is consumed on the ride and batteries can occupy much less space in the vehicle. This is also the reason for the trolleybus system’s wired section being placed on the hilly, steep section, where battery consumption is enormous in comparison to operation on flat ground.