The city of Athens will gradually phase out its iconic trolleybus system after more than 70 years of service and replace the entire fleet with modern electric buses, a top transport official have confirmed.
Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications, Konstantinos Kyranakis, announced the decision on SKAI TV, stating that the current trolley fleet is aging and the cost to upgrade the required overhead wire infrastructure is too high. The phase-out will happen in two stages, beginning with the dismantling of overhead wires and poles across most of the city.
The trolleys will then be replaced by part of a new fleet of over 250 electric buses.
“Trolleys have been a fixture in Athens since 1953,” Mr. Kyranakis acknowledged, but noted that advances in electric vehicle technology have made them outdated.
Most of the city’s 210 trolleys are over 20 years old and suffer from frequent breakdowns.