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 |
| Status | Open |
| Routes | 5 |
| Infrastructure | |
| Stock |
65 Škoda 15Tr 1 Volvo B10M |
| Statistics | |
| Route length | 13.9 km (8.6 mi) |
| 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]
History
The system commenced operations on 14 September 1992.[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
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Murray, Alan (2000). World Trolleybus Encyclopaedia, pp. 57 and 99. Yateley, Hampshire, UK: Trolleybooks. ISBN 0-904235-18-1.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Trolleybus city: Teheran (Iran)". Trolleymotion. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Trolleybus Magazine No. 265 (January–February 2006), pp. 16–17. National Trolleybus Association (UK). ISSN 0266-7452.
- ↑ Trolleybus Magazine No. 298 (July–August 2011), pp. 89–90. National Trolleybus Association (UK).
External links
Media related to Trolleybuses in Tehran at Wikimedia Commons
- Trolleybus city: Teheran (Iran) at Trolleymotion (English)
- Tehran database / photo gallery and Tehran trolleybus list at Urban Electric Transit – in various languages, including English.