A new era of urban transport in Tallinn

On Wednesday, July 1, 2026, more than sixty years after the first introduction of trolleybuses in 1965, the lines in the Tallinn district of Mustamäe started operating again. The grand opening was attended by Tallinn Mayor Peeter Raudsepp, representatives of the city government, representatives of the Mustamäe local government, Škoda Electric employees and representatives of the Czech Embassy.

The delivery of 40 vehicles is crucial for Tallinn – the original trolleybuses had to be retired in 2024 due to their age, and the city has long debated whether to restore trolleybus operation at all. The new vehicles have made it possible to continue the tradition of environmentally friendly electric transport and at the same time modernize it. In addition, hybrid battery operation will not disrupt the historical character of the city center and some other areas and will also save a significant part of the costs of building, restoring and maintaining infrastructure.

As the former mayor of Tallinn, Kristian Järvan, under whom the whole project was launched, recalled: "The biggest controversy during the introduction of the new Škoda cars was about their color. In the end, they kept their historic blue, while these electric vehicles make the environment greener by reducing emissions and limiting car traffic." The current mayor, Peeter Raudsepp, also emphasized the economic benefits: "These trolleybuses are currently the most efficient means of public transport in the capital with the lowest cost per kilometer traveled."

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of Škoda Electric, Karel Majer, said on the successful completion of the project: "We are pleased that modern Škoda trolleybuses are becoming part of a new chapter in urban mobility in Tallinn. The delivery of 40 vehicles confirms the trust that the Estonian partner has placed in Czech industry, technology and know-how. The new trolleybuses will bring passengers greater comfort, accessibility and more environmentally friendly transport, and at the same time are a symbol of successful Czech-Estonian cooperation. We believe that they will serve the residents of Tallinn reliably for many years to come."

Comfort, ecology and modern technology

Hybrid battery trolleybuses represent not only the modernization of public transport, but also an investment in cleaner air, reduced emissions and the protection of historical monuments. Tallinn is thus gaining an ecological, comfortable, quiet and economically efficient modern means of transport for many years to come. The new Škoda trolleybuses are equipped with above-standard large-capacity batteries that allow for an independent range of up to 25 km without a catenary. Thanks to this, the city was able to remove the old overhead wires from the center of Tallinn.

Tallinn City Council Advisor Mark Jefimov added that the test run in June was successful. "The 12-meter trolleybuses on lines 84 and 85 have been running between the main train station and Mustamäe since 5 a.m. on July 1. The 18-meter sets will be in operation from August 1, when we will reopen the remaining three historic lines 72, 81 and 83. We are also already in the planning phase of introducing a completely new line in Lasnamäe," said Jefimov.

Significant order and investment

Škoda Electric Operations and Resources Director Jan Naglmüller pointed out the extraordinary importance of the order: "The order for 40 trolleybuses at once for the capital is definitely large. Usually, it is common for smaller municipalities to order five to ten, maybe 15 vehicles at once. The partnership with the city of Tallinn means a lot to us."

The total price of all vehicles was over €30 million and the contract also includes an option to purchase additional vehicles under the same conditions. The purchase was partly financed by the city and €12 million was co-financed by the EU, specifically by the EU Modernization Fund, which is tasked, among other things, with supporting the decarbonization of urban transport. The Estonian Environmental Investment Centre (KIK) played a significant role as an administrator in obtaining and providing financial subsidies from the EU.

The Czech trolleybuses were put into operation just a few months after 16 Škoda Transportation high-speed electric train sets began operating in Estonia on regional and long-distance routes. Let us believe that these are not the last deliveries of Czech trolleybuses or trains to Estonia and that the successful cooperation to date, where Czech technologies are helping to change Estonian transport, will continue in the future.