Modern trolleybuses will appear on the streets of Pilsen in the coming years. Pilsen City Transport Company (PMDP) has signed a framework contract with Škoda Group for the delivery of up to 33 Škoda 26Tr trolleybuses and up to 20 Škoda 27Tr trolleybuses. The delivery of the vehicles will start next year, and the framework contract is concluded until 2030. The total value of the contract is EUR 37.4 million.
„The history of Škoda Group began many years ago right here in Pilsen, in a city that is still the heart of our vehicle production and therefore we are very familiar with it. We complement our local knowledge with the experience of PMDP, with whom we have been working for a long time. Thanks to strong customer relations, mutual respect, and active listening, we can work together to find solutions that suit passengers, drivers and the operator. Trolleybuses are inseparable from Pilsen, and I believe that the trolleybuses will continue to appear in its streets in the future. Supporting public transport and its significant modernisation is the key to better urban life and better-quality transport. We believe that other cities will be inspired by Pilsen and improve the level of transport,“ says Petr Novotný, President Components & Bus Mobility at Škoda Group.
The vehicles are unique in having the second door with sliding system, which is more typical for trams. Unlike the doors traditionally used on buses, the sliding doors significantly increase the boarding space. This makes it easier for wheelchair users and parents with prams to board. At the peak, the wider space enables faster passenger changes.
The Škoda 26Tr trolleybus is 12 metres long and the Škoda 27Tr type is articulated with a length of 18 metres. The vehicles include a traction battery that allows operation in routes without catenary, thus ensuring service even in the more remote areas of the city. Passengers will have access to a modern information and check-in system with screens, and powerful air conditioning will also contribute to the travel comfort. To increase safety, the trolleybus will be equipped with a camera system.
Pilsen is home to numerous products from the Škoda Group’s production sites and as of next year its residents can look forward to new trolleybuses that will strengthen public transport in this West Bohemian metropolis. The PMDP has ordered a total of 9 Škoda 26Tr trolleybuses from the Czech manufacturer of public transport vehicles, which will appear on the streets gradually between 2023 and 2025, and 4 Škoda 27Tr vehicles with delivery scheduled for 2025. The contract also provides an option for a further 24 trolleybuses of the 26Tr type and 16 trolleybuses of the 27Tr type, with an option for use until 2030.
