Trolleybuses in Zürich

Zürich trolleybus system

A Mercedes-Benz O405 GTZ in Zürich, 2006.
Operation
Locale	Zürich, Switzerland
Open	27 May 1939 (1939-05-27)
Status	Open
Routes	7
Operator(s)	Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich
Infrastructure
Electrification	600 V DC
Stock	114
Statistics
Route length	54.0 km (33.6 mi)
Passengers (annually)	54.1 million
Website	Zürich Public Transport (VBZ)

The Zürich trolleybus system (German: Trolleybussystem Zürich) is part of the public transport network of Zürich, Switzerland. Opened in 1939, it combines with the Zürich S-Bahn, the Zürich tramway network and Zürich's urban motorbus network to form an integrated all-four style scheme.

As of 2012^[update], the system consists of six lines and a total route length of 54.0 km (33.6 mi). It is operated by Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich (VBZ), which also operates the tramway and motorbus networks. Like the other modes of public transport in the region, it is covered by the Zürcher Verkehrsverbund.

The Zürich trolleybus system was opened on 27 May 1939, by the then Städtischen Strassenbahn Zürich ("Zurich Municipal Tramway") (St. St. Z.). It was the third modern trolleybus system to be opened in Switzerland, after the Lausanne system and Winterthur system, respectively. Initially, trolleybus routes were created on new routings intended to complement, rather than compete with, the city's existing tram network.

The first Zürich trolleybus route was Bezirksgebäude (Limmatplatz) to Bucheggplatz, and is now part of line 32.

De facto, the new system's initial operator was the legally independent transport company Autobusbetrieb der Städtischen Strassenbahn Zürich ("Bus Operation of the Zürich Municipal Tramway"). This company had been founded in 1927 as Kraftwagenbetrieb der Städtischen Strassenbahn Zürich ("Motor Vehicle Operator of the Zürich Municipal Tramway") and had been renamed in 1935. Only in March 1949 did the two companies merge, to form the Verkehrsbetriebe der Stadt Zürich, which, since 1978, has been known as Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich.