The Surprisingly Large Trolleybus System of Riga | Rīgas Trolejbuss 🇱🇻🚎 | Urban Transport #27

This video will describe the trolleybus system of Riga, Latvia. which is surprisingly large, and very innovative. The system extensively uses off-wire capable trolleybuses, which have either diesel generators or could be using hydrogen.
This video is the 27th episode of the series Urban Transport, with full-on descriptions of various urban public transport networks (mostly in Europe).
If you want to see more public transport in Riga, check my video of Riga's Tram System: • Better Times for This ...
About me:
My name is Rick, and I am a licensed drone pilot and transport enthusiast, based in the lovely country of Lithuania.
I started the channel dronthego in order to share my passion for towns, cities, and transportation.
Please consider subscribing to my channel :)
You can follow me on:
Instagram: @realdronthego
Facebook: dronthego
Threads : @realdronthego
Thanks to Maptiler, Geolayers 3D for their amazing software, and Envato Elements for their loads of music, stock footage, and valuable tools.
#riga #trolleybus #publictransport #trolejbuss #4k #latvia #latvija
00:00 Intro
00:15 History
01:33 Network & Technical Details
05:44 Fleet
06:48 Ridership
07:24 Future
07:48 Outro

[@soumyagupta4910]

This is a lovely production. Thank you!

[@realdronthego]

Thank you!

[@LatvianTanker]

Great video! The Solaris Trollino 18.75 H2 was the first ever Trolleybus fitted with Hydrogen generator, Solaris designed it specifically for Riga and I haven't heard that any other city got them afterwards, so they might be unique only to Riga.

[@realdronthego]

Thank you! It is a unique technology, but given the rise of battery trolleybuses, I suspect it will stay rather niche. Maybe Riga stays unique in this :)

[@Aviationvlad]

Great video about trolleybus system in my hometown! :) Well done! Multiple unit trolleybuses (that consisted of Škoda9Tr trolleybuses) were used in operations in Riga up until 2001! As far as I know, originally the idea to make such MUs came from Kyiv, where they've had even more of these "trolleybus trains". Such were used in a quite amount of cities around the former USSR - including other types of trolleybuses, like ZIU-9.

[@realdronthego]

Thank you! And thanks for the addition :)

[@vectronik]

As always, thank you for this super vid! ❤ Despite me visiting Rīga in vacation last year, a vid from both trams, trolleybuses and regular buses will be published this week on my channel, but it does not even compare to your perfect ones. 😊

[@realdronthego]

Thank you very much!

[@pashazzubuntu]

Is it really surprising? All ex soviet cities have a large trolleybus network, with Moscow were the largest before an eventual dismantling several years ago - the soviets had a thing about the electric transport. Props for them for saving it!

[@charlieonholiday]

Good to see your follow up to the Riga tram network!

[@Dqtube]

Great video. In a few years you will have the opportunity to make a video about trolleybuses in Prague, which are coming back. Currently, one line is in service and the second should start this year. A special feature of the new line is that it will be served by double-articulated 24-metre long types. There are also plans to convert further bus routes, but the exact schedule is not fully known yet.

[@realdronthego]

Thank you! Yes, I saw that😁🚎

[@pellertransportguy]

Great video!

[@realdronthego]

Thank you!

[@mratp123]

once again a perfect video :)!

[@realdronthego]

Thank you!!

[@martinxxcz2919]

I love this series!

[@realdronthego]

Great to hear! Thank you!

[@evanpaju8500]

Hello thanks for the awesome video 😄 Sadly trolleybuses in Tallinn are being removed 😞 But still you made once again a incredible video

[@realdronthego]

They are not! Plans are being made to buy new trolleybuses and expand the network again!

[@evanpaju8500]

@@realdronthego Oh thats great! Just there were like over 10 lines of trolleys in tallinn now there is 5 and there used to be 7 lines in 2012 🚎

[@Kschychooo]

I do believe some networks in Germany and/or Switzerland used multi unit trolleys, but I do believe it's a "bus" plus a passenger trailer rather than two buses hooked up together (I am trying to make sure what Riga used specifically so I'm not a total fool ;) , someone already put in some comments I see, as well as the German/Swiss networks. Although I know those are being flipped to articulated models lately. For whatever reason I forgot the cities where they were/are present)

[@realdronthego]

Riga literally coupled 2 trolleybuses, using the trolleypoles of the 2nd trolleybus to power the rather odd combination 😁

[@Kschychooo]

So yeah it is odd, as it is definitely different from what I was mentioning where there is a trolleybus that is connected to the wires that pulls the trailer that is more passive. Oh Riga and the originality. But hey there is that saying that if it's stupid but it works, then it's not stupid :D

[@UrbanSheng]

*The video is good! But you don't have to read the station name.*

[@Jakobe_Wan]

Great work! Good for you showing interest in Eastern Europe's transportation networks. Are you Dutch btw?

[@realdronthego]

Thank you! Yes, I am originally Dutch, but I have been living in Lithuania for 6.5 years :D

[@vojta.drevik]

I have a question. In Riga they wanted close their system when the fleet will end with their lifespan. So...Will be the system closed or if they want to buy some new trolleybuses or build new tracks? Thank you for a respond.

[@realdronthego]

I haven’t seen any information or researches on Riga wanting to dismantle their system, in fact, Riga’s trolleybuses with hydrogen-based off-wire capabilities are fairly new. Tallinn was indeed planning to move away from trolleybuses, but they made a U-turn this week, and are now actively planning new purchases and network expansion.

[@Yevgeshik]

They changed their plans, now they substitute buses routes with trolleybuses (4, 31, 34, 35 and partial of 3 and 27), but no news yet about buying new trolleybuses and building new lines, only extension of route 23.

[@Yevgeshik]

Thanks for this video. I like your pronunciation of names of Riga's places (streets and areas).

[@realdronthego]

Thank you 😁

[@videos_from_perm]

А мне что-то не очень

[@Yevgeshik]

@@videos_from_perm Это потому, что похоже Вы не из Риги и даже не из Латаии, а я оттуда.