Trolleybuses in Tehran

Tehran trolleybus system
Trolleybuses in Imam Hossein Square: northeast depot vehicle in front, south depot vehicle behind.
Operation
Locale Tehran, Iran
Open 14 September 1992 (1992-09-14)
Status Open
Routes 5
Infrastructure
Stock 65 Škoda 15Tr
1 Volvo B10M
Statistics
Route length 13.9 km (8.6 mi)
Overview
Website United Bus Company of Tehran (Persian)

The Tehran trolleybus system serves Tehran, the capital city of Iran. It is the only trolleybus system ever to have existed in Iran.[1]

Contents

History

The system commenced operations on 14 September 1992 (1992-09-14).[2]

Lines

As of 2005, trolleybuses were operating on five routes, all starting at Meydan-e-Emam-Hoseyn (Imam Hossein Square),[3] near Imam Hossein station of the Tehran Metro Line 2.

Northeastern lines

The two routes running northeastwards, lines 1 and 2, operate almost entirely in a segregated busway located in the middle of the wide carriageway (along Damavand Khiyaban), stopping only at purpose-built stops located about every 500 metres, effectively making these routes trolleybus-BRT (but they are not called such).[3]

Line 1 is the primary northeastern route, and is 6.9 km (4.3 mi) long. Line 2 is an express line following the same route, but serving fewer stops.[3] Both lines terminate at Terminal-e-Sharq.

Southern lines

The other three trolleybus routes, lines 3, 4 and 5, run south from Meydan-e-Emam-Hoseyn along Hefdah-e-Shahrivar (Shahrivar Street) and operate in mixed-traffic. Both route sections are served both by limited-stop services and local (making all stops) services.[3]

Line 3 terminates at Meydan-e-Chorasan, and line 4 continues further south, to Bozorgrah-e-Be'sat. Line 5 branches off Hefdah-e-Shahrivar along Khiaban-e Shush (Shush Street), and terminated initially at Meydan-e-Shush (Shush Square),[3] which is the location of Shush Metro Station on metro line 1.

A 3.2 km (2.0 mi) extension of line 5 from Meydan-e-Shush to Meydan-e-Rah Ahan (Rah Ahan Square) and the railway station there opened in March 2010.[4]

Fleet

The backbone of the Tehran trolleybus fleet is 65 Škoda 15Tr articulated buses.[1]

The Škodas were built in the then Czechoslovakia in 1991 (fleet numbers 794-828) and 1992 (fleet numbers 921 to 950).

Around 2006, a two axle prototype vehicle was built; it was based on a Volvo B10M.[2]

Depots

Tehran's trolleybuses are allocated to one of two different depots; the two groups of vehicles can be distinguished by their liveries.

The trolleybuses used on lines 1 and 2 have a green-yellow-white livery and are based at the northeastern depot, at Terminal-e-Sharq.

Those operating lines 3, 4 and 5 are liveried blue and white (in some cases with yellow highlights) and are allocated to the southern depot, near Bozorgrah-e-Be'sat.

See also

Buses portal
Iran portal

References

  1. ^ a b Murray, Alan (2000). World Trolleybus Encyclopaedia, pp. 57 and 99. Yateley, Hampshire, UK: Trolleybooks. ISBN 0-904235-18-1.
  2. ^ a b "Trolleybus city: Teheran (Iran)". Trolleymotion. http://www.trolleymotion.com/cities/index_en.php?sy_ID=96. Retrieved 17 December 2011. 
  3. ^ a b c d e Trolleybus Magazine No. 265 (January–February 2006), pp. 16–17. National Trolleybus Association (UK). ISSN 0266-7452.
  4. ^ Trolleybus Magazine No. 298 (July-August 2011), pp. 89–90. National Trolleybus Association (UK).

External links

Media related to [//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Trolleybuses_in_Tehran Trolleybuses in Tehran] at Wikimedia Commons