The Dnipro city officials explained the challenges of repairing trolleybuses.

Dnipro, one of the largest cities in Ukraine, is actively working on modernizing its public transport, facing challenges posed by both financial constraints and the consequences of full-scale war. Despite these difficulties, the city has made progress in updating its tram and trolleybus fleet. This was reported by "Vidomo," citing "Nashe Misto."

Currently, around one hundred trolleybuses and approximately 120 tram cars are in daily operation in Dnipro, providing transportation for hundreds of thousands of residents. However, the wear and tear of the existing rolling stock necessitates constant updates. In the context of a limited budget, especially during wartime, finding effective and cost-efficient solutions becomes a top priority.

Here, Leipzig—a German city—has stepped in with solidarity and substantial support. In 2024, Dnipro received 26 used but technically sound tram cars from Leipzig. It is worth noting that the financial costs for the Ukrainian side were minimal—funds were only spent on necessary documentation. Leipzig effectively donated these cars, charging a symbolic fee of 1200 euros for each. This assistance is crucial, especially when a complete overhaul of Dnipro's tram system is financially unfeasible, particularly during wartime.

Nine cars from this batch have already entered service on Dnipro's routes after necessary adaptations to local infrastructure, significantly improving the quality and reliability of tram services. This aid has been a true lifeline for Dnipro, allowing the tram system to continue functioning, without which the city would face serious transportation challenges.

Alongside the tram fleet renewal, Dnipro is also working on modernizing its trolleybus service. In 2024, the city initiated a program to upgrade trolleybuses with autonomous drive capabilities, allowing them to travel up to 20 km without connecting to the overhead line.

This will enable the expansion of the route network and enhance the efficiency of trolleybus operations, especially in areas with limited infrastructure. One such upgraded trolleybus is already in service in Dnipro, with another planned for launch in 2025.

"Repairing trolleybuses is quite challenging. Firstly, during the war, we have a staff shortage—many mechanics and specialists who maintained the rolling stock have been mobilized. Therefore, in 2024, we managed to repair only two trolleybuses. But we focused on quality and even surprised ourselves a bit. For the first time, we repaired a modern low-floor trolleybus with our own resources. Following that, we took on another similar trolleybus, which our specialists upgraded and enhanced—it now has the capability for autonomous travel up to 20 km, which is significant for electric transport. With trolleybuses, every repair brings something new," said Nikita Kerentsev, a leading specialist at KP "Dnipro Electric Transport."

As we can see, the issue of renewing public transport in Dnipro goes far beyond simply acquiring new cars. A comprehensive program is needed, which includes not only the procurement of new rolling stock but also the repair of infrastructure, staff training, and optimization of the route network.

Previously, we reported on how passengers pushed a minibus in Dnipro (VIDEO)