{"id":3051,"date":"2020-07-20T21:35:19","date_gmt":"2020-07-20T18:35:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tlt.ee\/about-the-company\/rolling-stock-history\/trolleybuses\/history-of-trolleybus-traffic-in-tallinn\/"},"modified":"2020-09-21T11:18:20","modified_gmt":"2020-09-21T08:18:20","slug":"history-of-trolleybus-transport-in-tallinn","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/tlt.ee\/en\/vehicle-fleet-and-history\/trolleybuses\/history-of-trolleybus-transport-in-tallinn\/","title":{"rendered":"History of trolleybus transport in Tallinn"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The first plans to build a trolleybus system in Tallinn emerged as early as September 1946. As for potential routes, there were several proposals, the main ones being Pirita \u2013 Tallinn centre \u2013 Balti jaam (Baltic Station) and Kopli \u2013 Balti jaam. On 25 May 1948, the preliminary design documentation for the construction of a trolleybus route running from the Baltic Station to Pirita to Meriv\u00e4lja was completed, but the project never went any further. In August 1954, a plan for a trolleybus route running from the Baltic Station to Stalin Square was prepared, but was not implemented either.<\/p>\n\n

In December 1959, more concrete plans for the construction of a trolleybus route were laid down by a regulation of the Council of Ministers of the Estonian SSR. The route was to be Estonia pst \u2013 Toompuiestee \u2013 Paldiski mnt \u2013 Rocca al Mare. In 1962, construction work began with the installation of the overhead contact wire. In the end, however, the route was only built up to Hipodroomi (Tallinn Hippodrome).\u00a0On 6 July 1965, a ceremony was held for the opening of Tallinn\u2019s first trolleybus route on the square in front of the Estonia Theatre.<\/p>\n\n

When trolleybus services were launched on the Estonia \u2013 Hipodroomi route in 1965, no trolleybus dispatch centres had yet been built, nor were they built before the next routes, running to and from Mustam\u00e4e and V\u00e4ike-\u00d5ism\u00e4e, were opened. The services were started with temporary solutions, consisting either of mobile homes positioned at the end of the routes or a toilet and phone provided by kind neighbours (the library of the Academy of Sciences next to the Estonia Theatre and caf\u00e9 Energia next to the Tallinna Kaubamaja department store). The first terminal was completed in 1966 next to Tallinn Hippodrome at Paldiski mnt 50. On 28 December 1967, a dispatch centre was completed in Mustam\u00e4e at Akadeemia tee 29, and later expanded between 1977 and 1981. Although the square in front of the Estonia Theatre and the stop at Tallinna Kaubamaja were the endpoints for several routes, building a trolleybus terminal there was ruled out for architectural reasons.<\/p>\n\n

The construction of the V\u00e4ike-\u00d5ism\u00e4e trolleybus route, in turn, was so unexpected and unplanned that the dispatch centre was left until last. Thus, the V\u00e4ike-\u00d5ism\u00e4e trolleybus terminal was completed a full seven years after the opening of the route on 1 July 1987. In the meantime, mobile homes and an apartment in a nearby residential building had to suffice. Trolleybus route No. 9 was also launched without a terminal, which was completed on Keskuse Street only in July 1991.<\/p>\n\n

Managing traffic without the proper means of communication is undeniably difficult, yet that is how trolleybus transport started in Tallinn. The only way to contact the dispatcher was to use a public telephone station. The recently introduced radio communication technology only enabled information to be exchanged between technical assistance vehicles and dispatchers.<\/p>\n\n

In 1991, word got around that in Helsinki they were planning to replace the radio equipment used in public transport vehicles, and thus an agreement was reached to purchase the communication systems from the Finns. However, the necessary modification work and formalities took so long that the first devices were not installed until July 1995.<\/p>\n\n

For trolleybus services, Estonia\u2019s reindependence led to difficult times, as the \u0160koda plant that manufactured the trolleybuses and their spare parts insisted that future payments be settled in US dollars. The trolleybus company, however, had no access to the currency, which made it impossible to procure both new trolleybuses as well as spare parts to keep the old ones running. As a result, while in the heyday of trolleybus transport in 1988 there were 160 trolleybuses in service concurrently, the number dropped to 108 by 1991 and then to 94 by 1995. In the late 1990s, the construction of a new trolleybus route between Mustam\u00e4e and \u00d5ism\u00e4e was considered, but was never undertaken. In 1993, however, Tallinn City Council adopted a concept for the development of urban transport, which emphasised the importance of electric vehicles as a mode of transport for Tallinn. Since December 2002, Tallinn\u2019s trolleybus fleet has been supplemented with Solaris trolleybuses manufactured at a plant situated in Bolechowo, near the city of Pozna\u0144 in Poland. Between 2006 and 2009, the SMILE project was implemented in Tallinn with the support of the European Union, which saw the modernisation of the information systems of the city\u2019s trams, trolleybuses, and buses and the development of a public transport priority system. Trolleybuses are fitted with GPS-based information boards with an automatic stop announcement system. A total of 26 intersections in Tallinn are integrated into a traffic light priority system that enables public transport vehicles to be given a \u2018green wave\u2019.\u00a0On 30 October 1992, the Tallinn Tram and Trolleybus Company (Tallinna Trammi- ja Trollibussikoondis \u2013 TTTK) came under the ownership of the City of Tallinn as a public limited company. On 18 July 2012, the City of Tallinn carried out the legal merger of the Tallinn Bus Company (Tallinna Autobussikoondis \u2013 TAK) and the Tallinn Tram and Trolleybus Company, where TAK was registered as the acquiring company and TTTK as the company being acquired by the former. Tallinn\u2019s new integrated public transport company was given the name Tallinna\u00a0Linnatranspordi AS.\u00a0In 2020, trolleybus transport in Tallinn celebrates its 55th anniversary.<\/p>\n\n

Chronological table of trolleybus routes<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n
Liikluse algus<\/th>Liikluse l\u00f5pp<\/th>Liini nr.<\/th>Liini nimetus<\/th>Marsruut<\/th><\/tr>
6 July 1965<\/td>3 February 1975<\/td>1<\/td>Estonia\u00a0\u2013 Hipodroom<\/td>Estonia\u00a0pst\u00a0\u2013 V\u00f5idu v\u00e4ljak\u00a0\u2013 Suvorovi\u00a0pst\u00a0\u2013 Gagarini\u00a0pst\u00a0\u2013 Tehnika\u00a0tn\u00a0\u2013 Paldiski\u00a0mnt<\/td><\/tr>
31 October 1967<\/td>25 June 1969<\/td>2<\/td>Estonia\u00a0\u2013 Mustam\u00e4e<\/td>Estonia\u00a0pst\u00a0\u2013 V\u00f5idu v\u00e4ljak\u00a0\u2013 Suvorovi\u00a0pst\u00a0\u2013 Gagarini\u00a0pst\u00a0\u2013 Tehnika\u00a0tn\u00a0\u2013 Paldiski\u00a0mnt\u00a0\u2013 Tulika\u00a0tn\u00a0\u2013 S\u00f5pruse\u00a0pst\u00a0\u2013 Vilde\u00a0tee\u00a0\u2013 terminal on Akadeemia\u00a0tee<\/td><\/tr>
26 June 1969<\/td>\u00a0\u2014<\/td>2<\/td>Estonia\u00a0\u2013 Mustam\u00e4e<\/td>Estonia\u00a0pst\u00a0\u2013 V\u00f5idu v\u00e4ljak\u00a0\u2013 Suvorovi\u00a0pst\u00a0\u2013 Endla tn\u00a0\u2013 S\u00f5pruse\u00a0pst\u00a0\u2013 Vilde\u00a0tee\u00a0\u2013 terminal on Akadeemia\u00a0tee<\/td><\/tr>
11 July 1969<\/td>31 October 1977<\/td>3<\/td>Estonia\u00a0\u2013 Mustam\u00e4e<\/td>Estonia\u00a0pst\u00a0\u2013 V\u00f5idu v\u00e4ljak\u00a0\u2013 Suvorovi\u00a0pst\u00a0\u2013 Endla tn\u00a0\u2013 S\u00f5pruse\u00a0pst\u00a0\u2013 terminal on Akadeemia\u00a0tee<\/td><\/tr>
15 December 1970<\/td>24 March 1971<\/td>4<\/td>Estonia \u2013 Balti jaam<\/td>Estonia\u00a0pst\u00a0\u2013 V\u00f5idu v\u00e4ljak\u00a0\u2013 Suvorovi\u00a0pst\u00a0\u2013 Gagarini\u00a0pst\u00a0\u2013 Balti jaam<\/td><\/tr>
25 March 1971<\/td>14 November 1987<\/td>4<\/td>Balti jaam\u00a0\u2013 Mustam\u00e4e<\/td>Balti jaam\u00a0\u2013 Gagarini\u00a0pst\u00a0\u2013 Tehnika\u00a0tn\u00a0\u2013 Paldiski\u00a0mnt\u00a0\u2013 Tulika\u00a0tn\u00a0\u2013 S\u00f5pruse\u00a0pst\u00a0\u2013 terminal on Akadeemia\u00a0tee<\/td><\/tr>
25 August 1971<\/td>\u00a02017<\/td>5<\/td>Balti jaam\u00a0\u2013 Mustam\u00e4e<\/td>Balti jaam\u00a0\u2013 Gagarini\u00a0pst\u00a0\u2013 Tehnika\u00a0tn\u00a0\u2013 Paldiski\u00a0mnt\u00a0\u2013 Mustam\u00e4e\u00a0tee\u00a0\u2013 Vilde\u00a0tee\u00a0\u2013 terminal on Akadeemia tee<\/td><\/tr>
4 February 1975\u00b9<\/td>31 October 1977<\/td>1<\/td>Estonia\u00a0\u2013 Mustam\u00e4e<\/td>The route continues from Hipodroomi to the terminal in Mustam\u00e4e and along Vilde tee to the terminal on Akadeemia tee.<\/td><\/tr>
1 November 1977<\/td>\u00a0\u2014<\/td>1 and 3<\/td>Kaubamaja \u2013 Mustam\u00e4e<\/td>The final stop of the routes was moved from opposite the Estonia Theatre to next to the Kaubamaja department store. The new route runs around the department store.<\/td><\/tr>
4 July 1980<\/td>9 December 1980<\/td>6<\/td>Estonia\u00a0\u2013 V\u00e4ike-\u00d5ism\u00e4e<\/td>Estonia\u00a0pst\u00a0\u2013 V\u00f5idu v\u00e4ljak\u00a0\u2013 Suvorovi\u00a0pst\u00a0\u2013 Gagarini\u00a0pst\u00a0\u2013 Tehnika\u00a0tn\u00a0\u2013 Paldiski\u00a0mnt\u00a0\u2013 \u00d5ismae\u00a0tee (the \u2018Little Roundabout\u2019)\u00a0\u2013 terminal on J\u00e4rveotsa\u00a0tee<\/td><\/tr>
10 December 1980<\/td>30 June 1981<\/td>6<\/td>Estonia\u00a0\u2013 V\u00e4ike-\u00d5ism\u00e4e<\/td>Trolleybuses began travelling along the \u2018Large Roundabout\u201d in \u00d5ism\u00e4e.<\/td><\/tr>
10 December 1980<\/td>December 1980<\/td>7<\/td>Balti jaam\u00a0\u2013 V\u00e4ike-\u00d5ism\u00e4e<\/td>Balti jaam\u00a0\u2013 Gagarini\u00a0pst\u00a0\u2013 Tehnika\u00a0tn\u00a0\u2013 Paldiski\u00a0mnt\u00a0\u2013 \u00d5ismae\u00a0tee (\u00abv\u00e4ike ring\u00bb)\u00a0\u2013 terminal on J\u00e4rveotsa\u00a0tee<\/td><\/tr>
11 May 1981\u00b2<\/td>\u00a02016<\/td>7<\/td>Balti jaam\u00a0\u2013 V\u00e4ike-\u00d5ism\u00e4e<\/td>Balti jaam\u00a0\u2013 Gagarini\u00a0pst\u00a0\u2013 Tehnika\u00a0tn\u00a0\u2013 Paldiski\u00a0mnt\u00a0\u2013 \u00d5ismae\u00a0tee (the \u2018Large Roundabout\u2019)\u00a0\u2013 terminal on J\u00e4rveotsa\u00a0tee<\/td><\/tr>
1 July 1981<\/td>30 September 1983<\/td>6<\/td>Estonia\u00a0\u2013 V\u00e4ike-\u00d5ism\u00e4e<\/td>Trolleybuses began travelling along Endla Street between T\u00f5nism\u00e4e and Hipodroomi.<\/td><\/tr>
30 June 1982<\/td>1 April 2000<\/td>8<\/td>V\u00f5idu v\u00e4ljak\u00a0\u2013 V\u00e4ike-\u00d5ism\u00e4e<\/td>V\u00f5idu v\u00e4ljak\u00a0\u2013 Suvorovi\u00a0pst\u00a0\u2013 Gagarini\u00a0pst\u00a0\u2013 Tehnika\u00a0tn\u00a0\u2013 Paldiski\u00a0mnt\u00a0\u2013 \u00d5ism\u00e4e\u00a0tee (the \u2018Little Roundabout\u2019)\u00a0\u2013 terminal on J\u00e4rveotsa\u00a0tee<\/td><\/tr>
1 October 1983<\/td>\u00a02016<\/td>6<\/td>Kaubamaja\u00a0\u2013 V\u00e4ike-\u00d5ism\u00e4e<\/td>Trolleybuses began travelling around the Kaubamaja department store, stopping at the Trade Unions House.<\/td><\/tr>
15 November 1987<\/td>6 October 1991<\/td>4<\/td>Balti jaam\u00a0\u2013 Mustam\u00e4e<\/td>Trolleybuses began travelling to Mustam\u00e4e along the route Tehnika tn \u2013 Endla tn. The route to Balti jaam remained unchanged.<\/td><\/tr>
18 December 1987<\/td>27 November 1992<\/td>9<\/td>Kopli\u00a0\u2013 Keskuse<\/td>Kopli terminal\u00a0\u2013 Kalinini\u00a0tn\u00a0\u2013 K. Marksi\u00a0pst\u00a0\u2013 Tulika\u00a0tn\u00a0\u2013 S\u00f5pruse\u00a0pst\u00a0\u2013 Keskuse terminal<\/td><\/tr>
7 October 1991<\/td>27 November 1992<\/td>4<\/td>Balti jaam\u00a0\u2013 Keskuse<\/td>Trolleybuses drove to the Keskuse terminal instead of the Mustam\u00e4e terminal.<\/td><\/tr>
28 November 1992<\/td>\u00a0\u2014<\/td>4 <\/td>Balti jaam\u00a0\u2013 KeskuseKopli\u00a0\u2013 Keskuse<\/td>The route runs along Ehitajate tee and Keskuse tee to the Keskuse terminal.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

\u00b9 The route was extended to Mustam\u00e4e only on business days. From 12 April 1975, trolleybuses run to Mustam\u00e4e\u00a0 every day of the week.\u00b2\u00a0Trolleybuses only used this route during peak hours. From 1 July 1981, trolleybuses use this route at all hours.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The first plans to build a trolleybus system in Tallinn emerged as early as September 1946. As for potential routes, there were several proposals, the main ones being Pirita \u2013 Tallinn centre \u2013 Balti jaam (Baltic Station) and Kopli \u2013 Balti jaam. On 25 May 1948, the preliminary design documentation for the construction of a … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":3050,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-3051","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tlt.ee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3051","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tlt.ee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tlt.ee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tlt.ee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tlt.ee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3051"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/tlt.ee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3051\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3607,"href":"https:\/\/tlt.ee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3051\/revisions\/3607"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tlt.ee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3050"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tlt.ee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3051"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}