List of trolleybus systems in Switzerland

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This is a list of trolleybus systems in Switzerland. It includes all trolleybus systems, past and present.

Contents

Alphabetical list by principal city

LocationDate (from)Date (to)Notes
Altstätten 8 September 194021 May 1977Connected Altstätten and Berneck. Known as the Rheintal or Rhine Valley system, after the operator's name, Rheintalische Verkehrsbetriebe . [1] Had unusual voltage of 1000 V.
Basel 31 July 194130 June 2008 [2] Operated by BVB. See also Trolleybuses in Basel.
Bern 29 October 1940Operated by Bernmobil. See also Trolleybuses in Bern.
Biel/Bienne 19 October 1940Operated by VB/TPB. See also Trolleybuses in Biel/Bienne.
Cernier, Val-de-Ruz 1 September 194814 April 1984Connected Les Hauts-Geneveys, Cernier, Dombresson and Villiers.
Fribourg 1 February 1949Operated by TPF. See also Trolleybuses in Fribourg.
Fribourg – Farvagny 4 January 191221 May 1932See also Fribourg–Farvagny trolleybus system.
Geneva 11 September 1942 [3] Operated by TPG. See also Trolleybuses in Geneva.
La Chaux-de-Fonds 23 December 1949(21 May 2014)Operated by TRN. See also Trolleybuses in La Chaux-de-Fonds. All service has been suspended since 2014, but most wiring remained in place in 2021, and reopening (with new vehicles) is planned – originally for 2023 [4] [5] but later delayed to 2026. [6]
Lausanne 2 October 1932Operated by TL. See also Trolleybuses in Lausanne.
Lucerne 7 December 1941Operated by VBL. See also Trolleybuses in Lucerne.
Lugano 25 April 195428 June 2001 [7] Operated by ACT. See also Trolleybuses in Lugano.
Montreux–Vevey 18 April 1957 Connects Vevey, Montreux and Villeneuve. Operated by VMCV. See also Trolleybuses in Montreux/Vevey.
Neuchâtel 16 February 1940System included an interurban line to Cernier (Val-de-Ruz) until 1969. Operated by TN. See also Trolleybuses in Neuchâtel.
St. Gallen 18 July 1950Operated by VBSG. See also Trolleybuses in St. Gallen.
Schaffhausen 24 September 196614 December 2025 [8] Operated by VBSH. See also Trolleybuses in Schaffhausen.
Thun 19 August 195213 March 1982Connected Thun and Beatenbucht. Operated by STI.
Val-de-Ruz – see Cernier
Vevey – see Montreux–Vevey
Winterthur 28 December 1938Operated by Stadtbus Winterthur. See also Trolleybuses in Winterthur.
Zürich 27 May 1939Operated by VBZ. See also Trolleybuses in Zürich.

Trolley freight

In addition to trolleybus systems, one trolley-freight (or trolleytruck) system existed, on a route between Mühleberg and Gümmenen, from 1918 to 1922. It had just two trolley-truck vehicles and was used during construction of a power station. [9]

See also

Sources

Books and periodicals

References

  1. ↑ Murray, Alan. "Farewell to a Rural Trolleybus". Trolleybus Magazine No. 94, May-June 1977. p. 65. National Trolleybus Association (UK).
  2. ↑ At a referendum held on 17 June 2007, the cantonal electorate rejected a proposal by trolleybus supporters for retention of the trolleybus system. The electorate accepted a counter-proposal by the cantonal authority to purchase motorbuses to replace the trolleybus fleet. Consequently, the only then-remaining trolleybus line closed in June 2008: Referendum results Archived 2007-12-03 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ↑ Box, Roland. "A Short History of the Genève System." Trolleybus Magazine No. 278, March-April 2008, p. 26. National Trolleybus Association (UK).
  4. ↑ Trolleybus Magazine No. 358 (July–August 2021), p. 162. National Trolleybus Association (UK). ISSN   0266-7452.
  5. ↑ "Les trolleybus de retour en 2024 à La Chaux-de-Fonds" [Trolleybuses to return to La Chaux-de-Fonds in 2024] (in French). RTN. 12 January 2023. Retrieved 2023-12-06.
  6. ↑ Hofer, Pascal (14 November 2025). "Nouveaux trolleybus de TransN: de moins en moins de pannes, démarrage à venir à La Chaux-de-Fonds" [New TransN trolleybuses: Fewer and fewer breakdowns, start to come at La Chaux-de-Fonds]. ArcInfo (in French).
  7. ↑ Trolleybus Magazine No. 240 (November-December 2001), p. 141.
  8. ↑ "Schaffhausen". transphoto.org. Retrieved 16 December 2025.
  9. ↑ Murray (2000), p. 128.
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