The first Trollino 18 is complete, with Vilnius’s full trolleybus fleet renewal in the home stretch

A new important chapter will soon begin in Vilnius trolleybus transport: in the coming days, the first vehicle from VVT’s new 81-strong Solaris Trollino 18 trolleybus fleet will set off from Poland for the Lithuanian capital. The 18-metre articulated vehicles, also capable of off-wire battery operation, will be gradually introduced into service during the autumn, and their arrival will bring the city’s comprehensive trolleybus fleet renewal programme, under way for nearly a decade, into its final phase.

The large-scale fleet replacement began back in 2018 with the entry into service of 41 solo trolleybuses built with Solaris Trollino 12 bodywork and Škoda Electric traction equipment, and continued from 2024 with the arrival of 91 Škoda 32 Tr vehicles with SOR bodies, also capable of off-wire battery operation. The process will be completed by the 81 Solaris Trollino 18 trolleybuses currently in production. Through the three procurements, a total of 213 new trolleybuses will arrive in Vilnius, effectively carrying out a full generational change in VVT’s trolleybus fleet.

Delivery of the full 81-unit batch is scheduled to be completed before the end of this year. Like the previously procured Škoda 32 Tr models, the articulated Trollinos will also be suitable for off-wire battery operation: their LTO-technology energy storage systems will allow them to cover up to 20 kilometres on a single charge independently of the overhead wiring network. An important difference, however, is that while the solo trolleybuses purchased in recent years were fitted with Škoda electrical equipment, the new articulated Solaris vehicles will receive traction systems from Poland’s Medcom.

The vehicles’ equipment will include USB charging points, an on-board camera system and an interior rack for carrying bicycles, while cameras will replace the traditional exterior rear-view mirrors. The driver’s work will be supported by blind-spot monitoring and a radar-based collision avoidance system, and the cab will also be equipped with a refrigerator and an alcohol interlock. The trolleybuses will also be fitted with an automatic fire suppression system.

The arrival of the new articulated vehicles will also bring the careers of the oldest types in the Vilnius trolleybus fleet to an end. According to VVT’s plans, the entry into service of the 81 Trollinos will allow the Škoda 14 Tr vehicles to be withdrawn for good; although they have now been relegated to the reserve fleet, 30–40 of them are still needed on weekdays to cover daily operations. Along with them, the remaining three Škoda 15 Tr articulated trolleybuses and the tri-axle Solaris Trollino 15 AC series will also bow out. Vilnius acquired 45 of the latter in the early 2000s, making the type a defining presence in the city’s trolleybus operations for more than two decades.

At the same time, the fleet renewal is not simply a matter of replacing old vehicles with new ones. In parallel with renewing its rolling stock, Vilnius is also preparing to reorganise the entire public transport network: under the plans, seven completely new routes will be launched, frequencies will be increased on 44 existing services, and a further 46 routes will be modified. Off-wire battery operation is also expected to play an important role in developing the trolleybus network, as it will make it possible to serve districts outside the current wired network without building new overhead lines.

Vilnius is already making practical use of these possibilities: in summer 2026, trolleybus route 3 was extended to the beaches of Valakampiai, where the vehicles now run on a section without overhead wires. What makes the solution particularly interesting is that trolleybuses had already operated here decades earlier, but the overhead lines that were later removed did not have to be rebuilt: the connection was restored using the off-wire capability of the battery-equipped Škoda 32 Tr vehicles. According to information from the city and the transport organiser JUDU, the same solution could be applied in other districts in the future, although for now it is not known exactly where and what further network extensions are planned based on the off-wire capability of the Trollino 18s.