SZKT aims to use these funds not to refurbish the outdated, over 30-year-old, high-floor Škoda 15Tr trolleybuses, but rather to replace them with modern, low-floor, air-conditioned vehicles. In recent years, the company has already purchased seven used Solaris Trollino trolleybuses from Chomutov (Czech Republic) and Tychy (Poland).
Two additional Solaris Trollino vehicles were successfully procured through an auction from Sanremo, Italy, where trolleybus operations came to an end in 2020. The first trolleybus, T-878 (formerly Sanremo no. 1801), has now been fully refurbished and entered service.
This solo trolleybus, built in 2007, was manufactured in Poland with a stainless-steel body, and equipped with a Cegelec traction system installed in Ostrava. The vehicle has three doors, is fully low-floor, and offers 29 seats and 44 standing places. The vehicle was originally equipped with air conditioning, so SZKT only had to carry out minimal modifications. A unique feature of this vehicle is its built-in diesel engine, which enables operation without overhead wires, allowing it to be used as a tram replacement vehicle if needed. The trolleybus had low mileage and was therefore in excellent condition upon arrival in July 2025.
The second ex-Sanremo trolleybus is expected to enter service in October 2025. Following that, in 2025 and 2026, four additional articulated Solaris Trollino trolleybuses will also be completed. These vehicles, formerly operated in Salzburg, arrived in late 2024 and will undergo more extensive refurbishment, as SZKT will install the air-conditioning systems itself.
In cooperation with external contractors, SZKT is also refurbishing nine additional trolleybuses and one bus. These works are being carried out in Budapest, Kistelek, and Nyíradony by the company’s professional partners.