The Estonian capital will expand its battery-electric trolleybus fleet to 70 vehicles after city authorities confirmed the purchase of 30 more units from Skoda Group, complementing an earlier order of 40 placed this year.
The additional vehicles are scheduled for delivery in 2026 under a contract between AS Tallinna Linnatransport and Skoda. Funding from the European Modernisation Fund will cover €12.1 million of the cost for 17 of the new units. According to the city, the first of the additional trolleybuses will begin service in May 2026 on route 72, before being deployed to other routes including the city’s busiest bus line, route 42, which will receive new infrastructure.
“The new trolleybuses can travel at least 25 km without an overhead contact line, which makes it possible to expand the network to areas without existing infrastructure,” Mayor Jevgeni Ossinovski said. “In the future, we will consider extending the trolleybus network to other districts, particularly towards Haabersti and Lasnamäe.”
Deputy Mayor of Transport Kristjan Järvan said the move builds on last year’s decision to fully transition to battery trolleybuses to improve operational flexibility. “We are now taking the next step and using the purchase option to bring another 30 vehicles to city streets,” he said.
The initial order of 40 vehicles — comprising 22 articulated and 18 standard-length units — will be deployed on routes 81, 83, 84, and 85. The investments are part of Tallinn’s broader €100 million plan to modernise public transport infrastructure over the coming years.