Transportation
Trolleybus Usage by Country 2025
Trolleybus Usage Category
1 - Trolleybus networks planned (as new or reconstruction)
2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and
3 - Had trolleybus networks before
4 - Never had trolleybus networks
Trolleybus Usage Category
17 countries
52 countries
158 countries
Country | Trolleybus Usage Category↓ | Trolleybus Usage Cities | Additional Trolleybus Usage Details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Indonesia | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Pakistan | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Nigeria | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Bangladesh | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | DR Congo | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Thailand | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Tanzania | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Kenya | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | South Korea | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Sudan | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Uganda | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Iraq | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Yemen | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Angola | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Morocco | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Mozambique | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Ghana | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Madagascar | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Ivory Coast | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Cameroon | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Nepal | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Niger | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Syria | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Mali | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Burkina Faso | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Sri Lanka | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Taiwan | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Malawi | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Zambia | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Chad | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Somalia | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Senegal | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Guatemala | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Cambodia | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Zimbabwe | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Benin | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Rwanda | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Burundi | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Bolivia | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Tunisia | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | South Sudan | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Haiti | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Jordan | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Dominican Republic | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | United Arab Emirates | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Honduras | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Cuba | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Papua New Guinea | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Togo | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Israel | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Sierra Leone | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Laos | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Libya | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Hong Kong | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Paraguay | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Nicaragua | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Republic of the Congo | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | El Salvador | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Singapore | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Lebanon | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Liberia | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Palestine | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Central African Republic | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Oman | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Mauritania | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Ireland | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Costa Rica | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Kuwait | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Panama | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Eritrea | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Puerto Rico | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Qatar | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Namibia | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Jamaica | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Gambia | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Albania | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Gabon | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Botswana | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Lesotho | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Guinea-Bissau | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Equatorial Guinea | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | North Macedonia | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Bahrain | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Timor-Leste | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Cyprus | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Mauritius | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Eswatini | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Djibouti | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Fiji | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Comoros | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Reunion | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Solomon Islands | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Guyana | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Bhutan | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Macau | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Luxembourg | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Suriname | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Montenegro | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Western Sahara | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Malta | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Maldives | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Cape Verde | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Brunei | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Belize | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Bahamas | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Iceland | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Guadeloupe | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Martinique | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Mayotte | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Vanuatu | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | French Guiana | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | New Caledonia | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Barbados | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | French Polynesia | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Sao Tome and Principe | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Samoa | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Curacao | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Saint Lucia | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Guam | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Kiribati | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Seychelles | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Grenada | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Micronesia | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Aruba | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Tonga | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Antigua and Barbuda | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | United States Virgin Islands | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Isle of Man | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Andorra | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Cayman Islands | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Dominica | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Bermuda | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Faroe Islands | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Greenland | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | American Samoa | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Sint Maarten | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Northern Mariana Islands | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Liechtenstein | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Gibraltar | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Monaco | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Marshall Islands | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | San Marino | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Saint Martin | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Palau | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Anguilla | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Cook Islands | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Nauru | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Saint Barthelemy | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Wallis and Futuna | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Tuvalu | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Saint Pierre and Miquelon | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Montserrat | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Falkland Islands | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Tokelau | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Niue | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | Vatican City | 4 - Never had trolleybus networks | ||
 | India | 3 - Had trolleybus networks before | ||
 | Egypt | 3 - Had trolleybus networks before | ||
 | Philippines | 3 - Had trolleybus networks before | ||
 | Vietnam | 3 - Had trolleybus networks before | ||
 | United Kingdom | 3 - Had trolleybus networks before | ||
 | South Africa | 3 - Had trolleybus networks before | ||
 | Myanmar | 3 - Had trolleybus networks before | ||
 | Colombia | 3 - Had trolleybus networks before |
| Historical (No longer in operation) |
 | Algeria | 3 - Had trolleybus networks before | ||
 | Malaysia | 3 - Had trolleybus networks before | ||
 | Peru | 3 - Had trolleybus networks before |
| Historical (No longer in operation, converted into trams) |
 | Australia | 3 - Had trolleybus networks before | ||
 | Azerbaijan | 3 - Had trolleybus networks before |
| Systems existed in five cities, all closed in the 2000s |
 | Denmark | 3 - Had trolleybus networks before |
| Trolleybuses were in operation in Gentofte (1927–1963) and Odense (1939–1959). |
 | Finland | 3 - Had trolleybus networks before |
| Both cities had trolleybus systems in the past. Helsinki is considering restoring trolleybus services. |
 | Uruguay | 3 - Had trolleybus networks before |
| Historical (No longer in operation) |
 | Trinidad and Tobago | 3 - Had trolleybus networks before |
| Historical (No longer in operation) |
 | China | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and | ||
 | United States | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Boston: Operational, Philadelphia: Operational, San Francisco: Operational, Seattle: Operational, Dayton: Operational, Various Museums: Preservation |
 | Brazil | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Operational (Separate systems in São Paulo and Santos) |
 | Russia | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Trolleybus systems operate in various cities, including an interurban network in Crimea. |
 | Mexico | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Operational |
 | Japan | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and | ||
 | Iran | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and | ||
 | Turkey | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Trolleybuses operated in Ankara (1947-1986), Istanbul (1960s-1984), and Izmir (closed in 1992). New systems in Malatya (opened in 2015) and Sanliurfa (opened in 2023) |
 | Germany | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Three cities have operational trolleybus systems. |
 | France | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Trolleybuses are in use, and preserved trolleybuses are at the Musée des Transports (AMTUIR) in Colombes. |
 | Italy | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Various cities have operational trolleybus systems. New systems are under construction or planned. |
 | Spain | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Castellón de la Plana has a new system since 2008. Trolleybuses operated in various Spanish cities in the past. |
 | Argentina | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Operational (In various cities including Mendoza, Rosario, Córdoba) |
 | Canada | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Vancouver: Operational, Laval: Under Consideration, Montréal: Under Consideration |
 | Ukraine | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Trolleybus systems operate in various cities, including the world's longest route in Crimea. |
 | Poland | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Three cities have operational trolleybus systems. |
 | Uzbekistan | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and | ||
 | Saudi Arabia | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and | ||
 | Venezuela | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Historical (No longer in operation) |
 | North Korea | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and | ||
 | Kazakhstan | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and | ||
 | Chile | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Operational |
 | Romania | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Several cities have operational trolleybus systems. Timișoara's system was built with Italian equipment. |
 | Netherlands | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Trolleybuses were in use in the past; Arnhem's system is still operational. |
 | Ecuador | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Operational |
 | Belgium | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Trolleybuses operated in the past in Antwerp, Brussels, Liège, and Ghent. Ghent's system closed in 2009. |
 | Tajikistan | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and | ||
 | Sweden | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Landskrona has a small operational system. |
 | Czechia | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| 14 operational trolleybus systems. |
 | Portugal | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Trolleybuses are operated in Coimbra. Braga and Porto had trolleybuses in the past. |
 | Greece | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Athens has one of the largest trolleybus networks in Europe with 354 vehicles. |
 | Hungary | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Trolleybuses are in use in three cities. |
 | Austria | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Salzburg has the largest system; Innsbruck's system closed in 2007 due to the expected light rail expansion. |
 | Belarus | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Minsk has the world's largest trolleybus system. Other cities also have operational systems. |
 | Switzerland | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Several cities have operational trolleybus systems; some systems closed in Lugano and Basel. |
 | Turkmenistan | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and | ||
 | Kyrgyzstan | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and | ||
 | Bulgaria | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Various cities have operational systems; Pleven has the most developed system. Some systems closed due to financial reasons or road construction. |
 | Serbia | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Belgrade has eight trolleybus routes with plans for extensions. |
 | Norway | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Trolleybuses have been in use since 1950. |
 | Slovakia | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Trolleybuses operate in four cities. |
 | New Zealand | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and | ||
 | Croatia | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Rijeka and Split had trolleybuses until 1972. |
 | Georgia | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Trolleybuses once operated in 12 cities, only Sukhumi remains |
 | Mongolia | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and | ||
 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Trolleybuses operate only in Sarajevo with seven routes (101–107). |
 | Moldova | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Trolleybuses are used in several cities. |
 | Armenia | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Operational since 1949, six routes run in Yerevan |
 | Lithuania | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Trolleybuses have been in use since 1956 and 1965, respectively. |
 | Slovenia | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Trolleybuses operated in Piran and Ljubljana in the past. |
 | Latvia | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Trolleybuses have been in use since 1947. |
 | Estonia | 2 - Trolleybus networks in operation, including bus rapid transit networks and |
| Trolleybuses in use, with a gradual substitution with hybrid drive buses. |
 | Ethiopia | 1 - Trolleybus networks planned (as new or reconstruction) |
Trolleybuses are a type of electrically-powered bus that receives its energy from cables that run overhead and are supported by spring-loaded poles. While they offer advantages over other forms of mass transit, trolleybuses are largely obsolete in developed countries, where they primarily serve as tourist attractions. However, trolleybuses still provide significant passenger transportation in a few countries.
History
The world’s first trolleybus system was built in Germany in 1882, where it quickly became a popular form of transportation. They remained common in many countries during the early 20th century, until private motor vehicles became readily affordable to the general public. Since then, the use of trolleybus systems has been declining, with 276 active systems remaining in the world as of 2021. In total, over 800 trolleybus systems have existed, although not all at the same time.
Advantages
Trolleybuses offer several advantages over other methods of passenger transport. For example, the infrastructure is easier to build and maintain than tram networks. In addition, trolleybuses generally climb hills more efficiently, avoid traffic more easily and are quieter. They’re also more environmentally friendly than buses, are easier to maintain and typically last longer.
Disadvantages
Trolleybuses require the driver to exert much more directional control than trams, creating a greater potential for collisions. The need for overhead cables also prevents trolleybuses from deviating from their prescribed routes the way buses can. This limitation is particularly disruptive when a trolleybus encounters a vehicle accident or road construction. For the same reason, trolleybuses can’t overtake each other.
In addition, the cables can prevent tall motor vehicles like tractor-trailers and double-decker buses from using the same route as trolleybuses. Furthermore, inhabitants of areas with trolleybuses often consider cables to be unattractive.
Trolleybus Systems by Country
The following list shows the countries with at least 10 trolleybus systems as of 2021:
- Russia 79
- Ukraine 41
- Italy 14
- China 13
- Czechia 13
- North Korea 11
- Switzerland 10
Trolleybus systems are highly concentrated in Eastern Europe and Asia. Russia has the most by far at 79, with neighboring Ukraine a distant second at 41. Ukraine also has the world’s longest system in terms of route length, which is based in Kyiv. In addition, China and North Korea have a significant network of trolleybus networks. Outside Eastern Europe and Asia, Italy and Switzerland are the only other countries with more than five trolleybus systems.
