Vilnius gets EUR 49 mln EBRD loan for new trolleybuses

  • 2023-01-26
  • BNS/TBT Staff

VILNIUS – The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development will provide a loan of up to 48.25 million euros to Vilniaus Viesasis Transportas (Vilnus Public Trasport, VVT), a municipal company in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius, for the purchase of 159 new trolleybuses.

The project's total value stands at 90 million euros. On top of the EBRD funding, VVT will receive a national grant of 10 million euros, the EBRD said.

The company plans to acquire 91 trolleybuses over the period of two years. It said in late 2022 that the first new trolleybuses would be delivered in the summer of 2024 and the rest will be delivered in early 2025. The company's CEO, Darius Aleknavicius, said at the time the cost of these trolleybuses, including delivery, would not exceed 48 million euros.

During the second phase of the fleet upgrade, VVT will launch a separate tender this year for the purchase of 68 tri-axle trolleybuses. This will bring the total number of trolleybuses to 159 by 2026.

Vilnius is expected to upgrade its entire trolleybus fleet by 2026, and their average age will be slightly more than two years. VVT now has 657 vehicles, including 405 buses and 252 trolleybuses.