ILPAP

The trolleybus Athens / Piraeus (Greek Τρόλεϊ ) is the only trolleybus operation in Greece. Originally, these were two independent networks in the port city of Piraeus and in the neighboring capital Athens. In 1988 they were joined together and have since been jointly operated, entrepreneurial they 've been united before. Today, in both cities run together 366 trolley buses, these are located in four different depots and operate a total of 22 lines. Of which there are three in Piraeus. The trolleybus Athens / Piraeus is considered the largest trolleybus operation in the European Union, even before the network in San Francisco, he is also the largest in the Western world.

The trolleybus operating in both cities was done originally founded in 1929 by the British private company Hellenic Transportation Company ( Η.Ε.Μ. Ηλεκτρική Εταιρεία Μεταφορών ) before, founded on December 14, 1970 public transport companies ILPAP Ilektrokinita Leoforia Periochis Athinon - Piraeus ( Η. Λ.Π.Α.Π. Ηλεκτροκίνητα Λεωφορεία Περιοχής Αθηνών - Πειραιώς ) took over the responsibility. This was a pure Trolleybusgesellschaft. This in turn was July 5, 2011 by local bus companies Ethel ( Ε.ΘΕ.Λ. ) to the new company OASA Organismos Astikon Synginonion Athinon ( Ο.Α.Σ.Α. Οργανισμός Αστικών Συγκοινωνιών Αθηνών ) merged.

• 4.1 in operation
• 4.2 under construction

History

The Obusverkehr in Piraeus should be taken as early as 1940, the vehicles were already present. Due to the Second World War and the subsequent Greek Civil War, the start-up but still delayed until 1948. Initially existed in Piraeus only the line 20, only in 1988 was followed by the lines 16 and 17

The Athenians trolleybus was opened on December 27, 1953 and replaced successively the old tram of Athens, was to their last line shut down in 1960. From the 1970s, originally consisting of only five lines Athenians network was greatly expanded for environmental reasons. In the course of 1988 made ​​extension of line 1 to Muscat this was by means of a one kilometer long operating distance to the line 20 in Piraeus, the first link between the two networks. Followed in 1990 with the extension of line 21 after Nikea a second link to the Agias Annis Street could use some years be switched directly to the line 16 from Piraeus. After the latter shortens the street Agios Ioannis Rendis and the remaining portion was converted into an operating distance, the two networks in regular traffic, however, have no common connection point more.

Lines

Center of the Athens Trolley bus network is running from southeast to northwest -way street Leoforos Eleftheriou Venizelou between Syntagma Square and Omonia Square. In the opposite direction, the south-west or north-eastern parallel streets Stadiou and Akadimias be traveled.

Due to the number of one-way streets in Athens and Piraeus, the lines are often in large loops or have on there and back partly different routes. In addition, the trolley buses in heavy traffic usually come very slow, so it was not rare to see travel times of over an hour in each direction.

In Athenian power all trolleybus lines tap into the city center, with the exception of the east at center leading past tangent line 10 and situated in the west of the city lines 24 and 25, the latter connect Petroupoli, Kamatero and Ilio with the located in Peristeri station Agios Anthony the Athens Metro. There is also a connection here to the radial line 12 towards the city center.

Rolling stock

Former

For use at first trolleybuses were supplied by Italy as reparations. Later followed by several identical copies of a decommissioned trolleybus operations. Both in Piraeus and Athens, the Italian trolleybuses were from the late 1970s, replaced by Soviet. In June 1993, the last Italian cars were scrapped.

A part of the Soviet car was following its withdrawal to the trolleybus in Belgrade Serbia (30 pieces in 2005) and the trolleybus Tbilisi in Georgia ( since 1999, a total of 37 pieces ) cast. The Tbilisi cars were still passed after the 2006 operation were carried out setting on Georgian province operations. Meanwhile, they are shut down, so that in Georgia, at no ex-Greek trolleybuses more.

Today

In 1999 she began an extensive modernization program, which - in view of the Olympic Summer Games 2004 - included a replacement of the entire fleet. It modern trolleybuses manufacturer Neoplan and Van Hool were procured, now all the cars used are scheduled niederflurig:

Depots

In use

Currently there are four trolleybus depots:

• Kokkinos Mylos ( Κόκκινος Μύλος )

In the nearby suburb north of Athens Nea Filadelfia is located near the northern terminus of the line 6 in Kokkinos Mylos the largest trolleybus depot in the Athens network. In addition to a multi-storey, semi-covered parking area there are also workshops and an administration building on the premises.

• Platia Attiki ( Πλατεία Αττικής )

Next to the Metro station Attiki located is the depot near the northern terminus of Line 1 in the northwest of downtown Athens.

• Agia Triada ( Αγία Τριάδα )

Located in the southwest of the city center along the line 21, the depot is on the road Piraeus is the oldest in the Athens network. The covered, partly open parking hall is painted on the side of the road under the theme O bus colorful.

• Piraeus ( Πειραιάς )

For the subnet in the southern port city, a small depot near the eastern terminus of line 20 is located on the road Megalou Alexandrou. While the trolley buses are parked outdoors exists on the premises is also a covered hangar.

Under construction

In addition, a new depot is currently being put into operation, which is to replace the far eastern depot Agia Triada:

• Rouf ( Ρουφ )

Is located west of the city center on the road Salaminias Rouf be the most modern Athens depot during its start. Total space for around 140 cars is provided, in addition, there is a workshop on the depot site. On the roof of the company building a high-performance photovoltaic system is installed. The feed traffic can be routed over the top lines of the leading past very close to line 21.