Athens’ iconic yellow trolleys are gearing up for a slow farewell, as Deputy Transport Minister Konstantinos Kyranakis confirmed plans to retire the system, starting this fall with routes through central Athens and Piraeus.
“When I came to the ministry, it was one of the things that impressed me,” Kyranakis told Kathimerini. “Since we now have electric buses, why maintain trolleys powered by cables that burden the sky of Athens and Piraeus?”
The minister cited multiple operational headaches. “The cable network consumes electricity even when trolleys aren’t moving. It requires many substations, restricts routes to areas with existing infrastructure, and often suffers failures that cause traffic chaos,” he explained.
The move marks a u-turn on previous government pledges to preserve the system. By 2025, major trolley lines running along Athens’ busiest streets — including Panepistimiou, Patission, and Vasilissis Sofias — will be permanently scrapped.
Popular routes will instead be replaced by modern electric buses, which are cheaper, more flexible, and cable-free. “For every two new trolleys, we can buy three electric buses of the same size,” Kyranakis noted, pointing to both economic and environmental benefits.
To calm fears of job cuts, Kyranakis confirmed that all trolley drivers and technical staff will be absorbed into OSY, the capital’s urban bus network, where they will take on new roles.
For Athenians who grew up with the iconic humming trolleys, it’s the end of an era. But the ministry insists the change is a step toward a sleeker, greener, and more reliable transport network.
