Prague Public Transport (DPP) has given the green light for the electrification of bus route 176. Converting this line into a trolleybus route 53 aims to promote environmental sustainability and improve passenger comfort.
The electrification of bus route 176, running from Karlovo náměstí to Stadion Strahov, and its conversion into trolleybus route 53, has received final approval. DPP recently obtained the building permit for the infrastructure needed to provide charging and power supply. The transport company is now preparing documents for a public tender for contractors and builders, which DPP expects to announce before the end of the year. Construction is anticipated to begin in the first half of 2025 and be completed by mid-2026.
“The electrification of Prague’s buses is a key step toward improving air quality and promoting environmental sustainability in the city. Trolleybuses also offer greater comfort for passengers, as their operation is much quieter and the journey more pleasant than that of diesel buses. Public transport is the most used and efficient mode of transportation in Prague, and we will continue to support it,” said Zdeněk Hřib, 1st Deputy Mayor of Prague. Hřib is also Prague’s Deputy Mayor for Transport and Chairman of the DPP Supervisory Board.
The route of bus line no. 176 from Karlovo náměstí to Strahov stadium runs continuously uphill from Smíchov to Strahov. This is a former trolleybus line (originally also line no. 53), on which trolleybuses had been running since 1948. However, it was merged with line 54 in 1967 to form line 51, which was the last line on which trolleybuses ran in Prague until mid-October 1972.
The future trolleybus line 53 will span nearly eight kilometres, with the section from Smíchov at Jirásek Bridge to Strahov Stadium to be electrified. The plan also includes the installation of charging cables at the two terminus stations, Karlovo náměstí and Strahov.
The estimated cost of constructing the infrastructure for the electrification of bus line 176 is around CZK 320 million.
