Trolleybuses in Linz: Difference between revisions

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* 1 Gräf & Stift/Kiepe articulated, no. 77, built 1969.<ref name=”slezak”/> After retirement in 1984, 19 of the 27 trolleybuses of series 51–77 were sold the to [[Trolleybuses in Sofia|Sofia trolleybus system]], in Bulgaria, for use there.<ref name=”tm140″>”Trolleybus Magazine” No. 140 (March–April 1985), pp. 37, 40. National Trolleybus Association (UK).</ref>

* 1 Gräf & Stift/Kiepe articulated, no. 77, built 1969.<ref name=”slezak”/> After retirement in 1984, 19 of the 27 trolleybuses of series 51–77 were sold the to [[Trolleybuses in Sofia|Sofia trolleybus system]], in Bulgaria, for use there.<ref name=”tm140″>”Trolleybus Magazine” No. 140 (March–April 1985), pp. 37, 40. National Trolleybus Association (UK).</ref>

* 20 Gräf & Stift/Kiepe articulated, nos. 201–220, built 1983–1985,<ref name=”tm168″>Murray, Alan (November–December 1989). “Trolleybus Fleets of Western Europe”. ”Trolleybus Magazine” No. 168, p. 134. National Trolleybus Association (UK).</ref> replacing all remaining 1960s-era articulated trolleybuses in the fleet (series 51–77) by early 1985.<ref name=”tm140″/> The last three active units from this series were withdrawn around August 2002.<ref name=”tm242″/>

* 20 Gräf & Stift/Kiepe articulated, nos. 201–220, built 1983–1985,<ref name=”tm168″>Murray, Alan (November–December 1989). “Trolleybus Fleets of Western Europe”. ”Trolleybus Magazine” No. 168, p. 134. National Trolleybus Association (UK).</ref> replacing all remaining 1960s-era articulated trolleybuses in the fleet (series 51–77) by early 1985.<ref name=”tm140″/> The last three active units from this series were withdrawn around August 2002.<ref name=”tm242″/>

* 4 [[Steyr-Daimler-Puch|Steyr]]/Kiepe two-axle vehicles, nos. 240–243, built 1988.<ref name=”tm168″/> Entered service in 1988.<ref name=”tm164″/> Last units withdrawn in 2003, and in 2005 were sold to the [[Rostov-on-Don]] trolleybus system.<ref name=”tm266″>”Trolleybus Magazine” No. 266 (March–April 2006), pp. 33, 41–42. National Trolleybus Association (UK).</ref>

* 4 [[Steyr-Daimler-Puch|Steyr]]/Kiepe two-axle vehicles, nos. 240–243, built 1988.<ref name=”tm168″/> Entered service in 1988.<ref name=”tm164″/> Last units withdrawn in 2003, and in 2005 were sold to the [[Rostov-on-Don]] trolleybus system.<ref name=”tm266″>”Trolleybus Magazine” No. 266 (March–April 2006), pp. 33, 41–42. National Trolleybus Association (UK).</ref>

* 19 [[Volvo Buses|Volvo]] B7000/Kiepe (also referred to as model V 7000 AT) [[low-floor]], articulated, nos. 201–219, built 2000–2001. First units entered service in 2000.<ref name=”tm234″>”Trolleybus Magazine” No. 234 (November–December 2000), p. 232. National Trolleybus Association (UK).</ref> The last Volvo trolleybuses were retired in 2019, their last day of service being 26 March 2019.<ref name=”tm345″>”Trolleybus Magazine” No. 345 (May–June 2019), p. 107. National Trolleybus Association (UK). {{issn|0266-7452}}.</ref> At least seven were sold to the [[Ivano-Frankivsk]] trolleybus system, in Ukraine.<ref name=”tm345-8″>”Trolleybus Magazine” issues 345, 346, 347, and 348. National Trolleybus Association (UK).</ref>

* 19 [[Volvo Buses|Volvo]] B7000/Kiepe (also referred to as model V 7000 AT) [[low-floor]], articulated, nos. 201–219, built 2000–2001. First units entered service in 2000.<ref name=”tm234″>”Trolleybus Magazine” No. 234 (November–December 2000), p. 232. National Trolleybus Association (UK).</ref> The last Volvo trolleybuses were retired in 2019, their last day of service being 26 March 2019.<ref name=”tm345″>”Trolleybus Magazine” No. 345 (May–June 2019), p. 107. National Trolleybus Association (UK). {{issn|0266-7452}}.</ref> At least seven were sold to the [[Ivano-Frankivsk]] trolleybus system, in Ukraine.<ref name=”tm345-8″>”Trolleybus Magazine” issues 345, 346, 347, and 348. National Trolleybus Association (UK).</ref>

Trolley buses in Linz Austria

Linz trolleybus system
Locale Linz, Austria
Open May 15, 1944 (1944-05-15)[1]
Status Open
Routes 5 (41, 43, 45, 45a, 46)
Owner Linz AG
Operator Linz AG
Electrification 600 V DC
Depot(s) 1
Stock 20 articulated trolleybuses
Route length 28.32 km (17.60 mi)
Overview
Linz trolleybus system map, 2024

The Linz trolleybus system forms part of the public transport network serving Linz, capital of the federal state of Upper Austria, in Austria. Trolleybus service began in 1944, and in 2025 the system comprises four routes, plus an evening variant of one.

On 15 May 1944, trolleybus service was introduced in Linz on the Hessenplatz–St. Martin route, which is now part of route 43. On 28 September 1949, Froschberg–Volksgarten (now part of the route 46) route came into operation. Route 21 (Hafen–Hauptbahnhof) opened in 1991.[2][3] It was replaced by route 46 in 2002.[4]

System map, 1997

The five routes of the present Linz trolleybus system are as follows:[5]

41 Hessenplatz – Unionkreuzung – Baintwiese
43 Hessenplatz – Unionkreuzung – Stadtfriedhof St. Martin
45 Stieglbauernstraße – Mozartkreuzung – Hauptbahnhof from 1991 to 2002 part of route 21
45a Stieglbauernstraße – Mozartkreuzung – Hauptbahnhof – Froschberg operates only in the evening instead of route 45
46 Hafenportal – Mozartkreuzung – Hauptbahnhof – Froschberg from 1991 to 2002 part of route 21

In December 2019, plans for new extensions were presented. It is proposed to run a new route 48 from Karlhof via Kepler Klinikum and Bulgariplatz to Wiener Straße (WIFI/Linz AG).[6]

Gräf & Stift trolleybus 73 (built 1963) at Stadtfriedhof (City Cemetery) terminus in 1983
Volvo trolleybus 204 in 2009

After initially being composed of Italian-built trolleybuses diverted from Italian systems, until 1988 the Linz system’s past fleet mostly comprised trolleybuses built in Austria by Gräf & Stift.[7] A small number built by Steyr Bus entered service in 1988, and a larger batch built by Volvo Buses renewed the fleet in the early 2000s. When articulated vehicles comprised the majority of the fleet, from the 1960s to the 2000s (when the last non-articulated vehicles were retired), the two-axle trolleybuses were normally used on route 45, while the other routes used articulated vehicles.[8]

  • Isotta Fraschini TSC40 (10 vehicles, built in 1937–1938), from the Livorno trolleybus system.[7]
  • Alfa Romeo 110AF (3 vehicles, built in 1943), from the Rome trolleybus system.[7]
  • 7 Gräf & Stift/Brown, Boveri & Company (BBC) two-axle vehicles, nos. 41–47, built 1961/63.[9]
  • 3 Gräf & Stift/Kiepe two-axle vehicles, nos. 48–50, built 1969.[9] These trolleybuses, the last Gräf & Stift vehicles in service in Linz, were withdrawn in 1988.[10]
  • 18 Gräf & Stift/BBC articulated, nos. 51–68, built 1960/63.[9]
  • 2 Gräf & Stift/Kiepe articulated, nos. 69–70, built 1968.[9]
  • 3 Gräf & Stift/Kiepe articulated, nos. 71–73, built 1963.[9]
  • 3 Gräf & Stift/Kiepe articulated, nos. 77–76, built 1967.[9]
  • 1 Gräf & Stift/Kiepe articulated, no. 77, built 1969.[9] After retirement in 1984, 19 of the 27 trolleybuses of series 51–77 were sold the to Sofia trolleybus system, in Bulgaria, for use there.[11]
  • 20 Gräf & Stift/Kiepe articulated, nos. 201–220, built 1983–1985,[12] replacing all remaining 1960s-era articulated trolleybuses in the fleet (series 51–77) by early 1985.[11] The last three active units from this series were withdrawn around August 2002.[8]
  • 4 Steyr/Kiepe two-axle vehicles, nos. 240–243, built 1988.[12] Entered service in 1988.[10] Last units withdrawn in 2003, and in 2005 were sold to the Rostov-on-Don trolleybus system, in Russia.[13]
  • 19 Volvo B7000/Kiepe (also referred to as model V 7000 AT) low-floor, articulated, nos. 201–219, built 2000–2001. First units entered service in 2000.[14] The last Volvo trolleybuses were retired in 2019, their last day of service being 26 March 2019.[15] At least seven were sold to the Ivano-Frankivsk trolleybus system, in Ukraine.[16]

The present fleet comprises 20 Van Hool ExquiCity 24T double-articulated, low-floor trolleybuses numbered 221–240, built in 2017–2019. The first two examples were delivered in 2017 and no. 222 entered service on 28 November 2017.[17] Delivery of the others began in June 2018,[18] and the last of the 20 had arrived by March 2019.[15]

  1. ^ Murray, Alan (2000). World Trolleybus Encyclopaedia. Yateley, Hampshire, UK: Trolleybooks. p. 63. ISBN 0-904235-18-1.
  2. ^ 75 Jahre Obusse in Linz – vom gebrauchten Italiener zum 24-Meter-E-Bus, Tips.at (in German language)
  3. ^ Trolleybus Magazine No. 181 (March–April 1992), p. 42. National Trolleybus Association (UK). ISSN 0266-7452.
  4. ^ Trolleybus Magazine No. 246 (November–December 2002), p. 134. National Trolleybus Association (UK). ISSN 0266-7452.
  5. ^ Network plan Linz, Linz AG
  6. ^ Linz, Austria: a new trolleybus line is coming (and a tender for up to 39 units is out), sustainable-bus.com
  7. ^ a b c “Trolley Bookshelf” (July–August 2007). Trolleybus Magazine No. 274, p. 83. National Trolleybus Association (UK). ISSN 0266-7452.
  8. ^ a b Trolleybus Magazine No. 242 (July–August 2002), pp. 73, 87.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g Mackinger, Gunter (1979). “Linzer Elekrizitäts- und Straßenbahn AG (ESG)”. In Slezak, Otto (ed.). Obus in Österreich. Vienna, Austria: Verlag Slezak. p. 40. ISBN 3-900134-62-6.
  10. ^ a b Trolleybus Magazine No. 164 (March–April 1989), p. 40. National Trolleybus Association (UK).
  11. ^ a b Trolleybus Magazine No. 140 (March–April 1985), pp. 37, 40. National Trolleybus Association (UK).
  12. ^ a b Murray, Alan (November–December 1989). “Trolleybus Fleets of Western Europe”. Trolleybus Magazine No. 168, p. 134. National Trolleybus Association (UK).
  13. ^ Trolleybus Magazine No. 266 (March–April 2006), pp. 33, 41–42. National Trolleybus Association (UK).
  14. ^ Trolleybus Magazine No. 234 (November–December 2000), p. 232. National Trolleybus Association (UK).
  15. ^ a b Trolleybus Magazine No. 345 (May–June 2019), p. 107. National Trolleybus Association (UK). ISSN 0266-7452.
  16. ^ Trolleybus Magazine issues 345, 346, 347, and 348. National Trolleybus Association (UK).
  17. ^ Trolleybus Magazine No. 337 (January–February 2018), p. 22. National Trolleybus Association (UK). ISSN 0266-7452.
  18. ^ Trolleybus Magazine No. 342 (November–December 2018), p. 224.
  • Norbert Fleischmann: Der Obus in Linz. Akazia, Gutau 2019, ISBN 978-3-9504365-8-7.
  • Verlag Slezak (Hrsg.): Obus in Österreich. Slezak, Wien 1979, ISBN 3-900134-62-6.
  • Busbewegtes Linz. Schaffer, Linz 2004, ISBN 3-9501854-2-9.

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