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Trolleybuses in Tehran
The Tehran trolleybus system (Persian:سامانهٔ اتوبوس برقی تهران, Samazh-e Atubus-e Berqi-ye Tehran) served Tehran, the capital city of Iran. Opened in 1992, it is the only trolleybus system ever to have existed in Iran. At its maximum extent, the system had five routes, served by at least 65 trolleybuses. The system closed in 2013, but reopened in 2016 with one route and a fleet of around 30 modernised Škoda 15Tr. However, in 2025 it was reported that the trolleybus system had closed again, some time during the second half of 2024. Trolleybuses were replaced with Chinese-made Higer electric buses.
The system commenced operations on 14 September 1992, on a route about 7 km (4.3 mi) in length, between Meydan-e-Emam-Hoseyn (Imam Hossein Square) and Terminal-e-Sharq, running along Damavand Khiyaban (Damavand Street). A fleet of 35 Škoda 15Tr articulated trolleybuses opened the system, and 30 more of the same type arrived in 1992 to expand the fleet to 65 vehicles. The still-new system then grew with the opening of several more routes and extensions.
Visitors in 2014 found that the system had ceased operation, and by October at least, all of the wiring had been taken down. It was subsequently determined that the closure had apparently taken place sometime in 2013, but the exact date remains unknown. Around 10 trolleybuses were still being stored at the southern depot in October 2014. Although it was reported after the closure that a return of electric buses was planned, there was no indication, at that time, of whether these would be trolleybuses or some other type of electric bus.
In 2016, a visitor to the city in May discovered that the system had reopened, and was told that this had occurred on, or shortly after, 21 March 2016. Although around 30 vehicles were reported to have been refurbished for the reopening of the system, only three were observed in service in May 2016, running on a 1.8 km (1.1 mi) route. In April 2018, a visitor found that the service had been re-extended along another previously closed section, by about 2.5 km (1.6 mi), making the overall route in operation around 4.3 km (2.7 mi) long. Eleven refurbished trolleybuses were observed in service. However, trolleybus operation ceased again in 2024, and battery-electric buses were on order to replace the trolleybuses.
As of 2005, trolleybuses were operating on five routes, all starting at Meydan-e-Emam-Hoseyn (Imam Hossein Square), near Imam Hossein station of the Tehran Metro Line 2. The total route length, not counting shared sections, was 13.9 kilometres (8.6 miles).
The two routes running northeastwards, lines 1 and 2, operated almost entirely in a segregated busway located in the middle of the wide carriageway (along Damavand Khiyaban), stopping only at purpose-built stops located about every 500 metres, effectively making these routes trolleybus-BRT (but they were not called such).
Line 1 was the primary northeastern route, and was 6.9 km (4.3 mi) long. Line 2 was an express line following the same route, but serving fewer stops. Both lines terminated at Terminal-e-Sharq. Sometime between 2005 and autumn 2010, both of these routes were closed, and their wiring was taken down.
The other three trolleybus routes, lines 3, 4 and 5, ran south from Meydan-e-Emam-Hoseyn along Hefdah-e-Shahrivar (Shahrivar Street) and operated in mixed-traffic. Both route sections were served both by limited-stop services and local (making all stops) services.
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Trolleybuses in Tehran
The Tehran trolleybus system (Persian:سامانهٔ اتوبوس برقی تهران, Samazh-e Atubus-e Berqi-ye Tehran) served Tehran, the capital city of Iran. Opened in 1992, it is the only trolleybus system ever to have existed in Iran. At its maximum extent, the system had five routes, served by at least 65 trolleybuses. The system closed in 2013, but reopened in 2016 with one route and a fleet of around 30 modernised Škoda 15Tr. However, in 2025 it was reported that the trolleybus system had closed again, some time during the second half of 2024. Trolleybuses were replaced with Chinese-made Higer electric buses.
The system commenced operations on 14 September 1992, on a route about 7 km (4.3 mi) in length, between Meydan-e-Emam-Hoseyn (Imam Hossein Square) and Terminal-e-Sharq, running along Damavand Khiyaban (Damavand Street). A fleet of 35 Škoda 15Tr articulated trolleybuses opened the system, and 30 more of the same type arrived in 1992 to expand the fleet to 65 vehicles. The still-new system then grew with the opening of several more routes and extensions.
Visitors in 2014 found that the system had ceased operation, and by October at least, all of the wiring had been taken down. It was subsequently determined that the closure had apparently taken place sometime in 2013, but the exact date remains unknown. Around 10 trolleybuses were still being stored at the southern depot in October 2014. Although it was reported after the closure that a return of electric buses was planned, there was no indication, at that time, of whether these would be trolleybuses or some other type of electric bus.
In 2016, a visitor to the city in May discovered that the system had reopened, and was told that this had occurred on, or shortly after, 21 March 2016. Although around 30 vehicles were reported to have been refurbished for the reopening of the system, only three were observed in service in May 2016, running on a 1.8 km (1.1 mi) route. In April 2018, a visitor found that the service had been re-extended along another previously closed section, by about 2.5 km (1.6 mi), making the overall route in operation around 4.3 km (2.7 mi) long. Eleven refurbished trolleybuses were observed in service. However, trolleybus operation ceased again in 2024, and battery-electric buses were on order to replace the trolleybuses.
As of 2005, trolleybuses were operating on five routes, all starting at Meydan-e-Emam-Hoseyn (Imam Hossein Square), near Imam Hossein station of the Tehran Metro Line 2. The total route length, not counting shared sections, was 13.9 kilometres (8.6 miles).
The two routes running northeastwards, lines 1 and 2, operated almost entirely in a segregated busway located in the middle of the wide carriageway (along Damavand Khiyaban), stopping only at purpose-built stops located about every 500 metres, effectively making these routes trolleybus-BRT (but they were not called such).
Line 1 was the primary northeastern route, and was 6.9 km (4.3 mi) long. Line 2 was an express line following the same route, but serving fewer stops. Both lines terminated at Terminal-e-Sharq. Sometime between 2005 and autumn 2010, both of these routes were closed, and their wiring was taken down.
The other three trolleybus routes, lines 3, 4 and 5, ran south from Meydan-e-Emam-Hoseyn along Hefdah-e-Shahrivar (Shahrivar Street) and operated in mixed-traffic. Both route sections were served both by limited-stop services and local (making all stops) services.