Zhytomyr will receive 13 used articulated trolleybuses from the city of Lucerne. These are vehicles that are still operational on the routes of the Swiss city and will be transferred to Ukraine after replacements are found. The transfer is organized by the Lucerne transport companies in cooperation with the Swiss Federal Department of Economic Affairs. This is reported by Luzerner Zeitung.
According to the project conditions, the city of Zhytomyr is set to receive 10 standard articulated and 3 double-articulated trolleybuses measuring approximately 25 meters in length. The transfer of a special vehicle for servicing the contact network is also under discussion. Currently, the parties are finalizing the preparation of contracts and coordinating logistics, including finding a partner to transport the equipment to Ukraine.
The delivery of the trolleybuses is planned to take place between April 2026 and December 2027. In Lucerne, it is explained that they do not have reserve rolling stock, so they can only transfer the vehicles after the arrival of new ones. Along with the transport to Zhytomyr, spare parts and equipment for maintenance are expected to arrive.
What Zhytomyr will receive in terms of trolleybus transfer
- 10 articulated trolleybuses
- 3 double-articulated trolleybuses
- possible special vehicle for servicing the contact network
- set of spare parts and service equipment.
Support for Ukraine from Switzerland: a broader context
The decision regarding the recipient city was made by the Swiss Federal Department of Economic Affairs, which is already cooperating with Zhytomyr in the field of urban development and energy efficiency. In particular, a bioenergy power plant project has previously been implemented in the city with the participation of Swiss companies.
Overall, the Swiss government is involving private business in the reconstruction of Ukraine. Within this program, more than 80 project ideas were submitted, from which 12 of the best were selected. The total funding from the state amounts to 93 million Swiss francs. The projects cover transportation, infrastructure, healthcare, and humanitarian demining.
It is worth noting that on January 7 in Kyiv, during the movement of a trolleybus on Sofiivska Street, there was a collapse of the roadway, resulting in the trolleybus ending up in a sinkhole.