Sarajevo welcomes 10 new trolleybuses as public transport overhaul gathers momentum

The trolleybus purchase sits within Sarajevo Canton’s broader urban transport modernisation programme, supported by a €75 million EIB loan.

Five new trolleybuses are already carrying passengers in Sarajevo Canton, part of a delivery of 10 modern vehicles intended to make everyday journeys more comfortable and reliable. Their entry into regular service follows driver training, registration and testing, bringing the latest addition to the canton's public transport fleet onto the streets.

Built by Polish manufacturer Solaris, one of Europe's leading producers of zero-emission public transport vehicles, the Solaris Trollino 18 trolleybuses were purchased through an international tender financed by an €8 million European Investment Bank loan. The delivery forms part of a wider effort to replace ageing vehicles and improve the networks that residents depend on.

More room, easier access and battery-powered flexibility

Each 18-metre trolleybus can carry 120 passengers, with seating for 36, and offers full accessibility and climate-controlled interiors. Real-time passenger information, USB charging and video surveillance are included, alongside GPS vehicle tracking.

The most useful feature is the onboard battery system, which allows the vehicles to operate without being connected to overhead wires. That capability gives the trolleybuses greater operating flexibility, extending their usefulness beyond journeys that depend entirely on continuous access to the wired network.

For passengers, the new fleet brings together practical improvements that affect the experience of a daily trip, from easier boarding to more comfortable interiors and better access to travel information. The vehicles are expected to support more reliable, user-friendly public transport and help reduce emissions.

A €75 million programme reaches across the transport network

The trolleybus purchase sits within Sarajevo Canton's broader urban transport modernisation programme, supported by a €75 million EIB loan. The work covers upgrades and extensions to tram and trolleybus networks, replacement of ageing vehicles, and construction of new tram lines and tracks.

"After decades of underinvestment, Sarajevo is transforming its transport system to make it greener, more efficient and more comfortable for its citizens," said Miha Švent, EIB Representative to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Švent said the project is intended to improve road safety and encourage more people to use public transport, contributing to better living conditions and a cleaner environment.

The programme, jointly supported by the EIB and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, has already brought a major change to tram services. Sarajevo received new trams in 2024, marking the first renewal of its tram fleet in four decades.

Investment in vehicles is being accompanied by work on the infrastructure they use, connecting fleet renewal with the wider task of improving how people travel around the canton.

More than 100 new vehicles in five years

Sarajevo Canton Minister of Transport Adnan Šteta placed the trolleybus delivery within a broader period of investment across the public transport system.

"Over the past five years, we have procured more than 100 new public transport vehicles and renewed all modes of public transport," he said. "The Solaris trolleybuses are another step towards our goal of providing every citizen and passenger with high-quality, safe and reliable public transport."

With all 10 trolleybuses delivered and five already in regular service, passengers are beginning to experience the latest changes firsthand. The new vehicles add capacity, comfort and accessibility to a transport overhaul that reaches from individual journeys to the tracks and networks serving the wider city.