The Trolleybus: Vilnius' Unofficial Icon 

I absolutely love them personally but I can also definitely see why some people don't, haha. Hopefully some can be kept for preservation

I personally really like them. They are iconic, fun and are a symbol of the city. But they shouldn't be the main basis for public transportation. I think we should keep around 40 well-maintained and preserved skodas running - not enough to be a nuisance for the city's publiic transportation system, but enough to maintain it's status as a unique, fun and iconic part of Vilnius's streets and ultimately make the city less boring and monotone. In the end, they do get people from point A to point B.

Back when I was growing up those 14Tr were colloqually known as "new" ones, with term "old" reserved to 9Tr. The latter was a beast. Super cramped, the heater could literally burn your boots if you were not careful, and getting out of a twin doored version in rush hour a feat only the fittest and most determined could accomplish.

14tr and especially 15tr simply the best trolleybuses and vehicles in the world.

I love trolleys!

I live near the first of the Pasilaicia trolleybus ring and my most favrotests are the old Škoda trolleys, when i ride the new ones i tent to stare at my phone since it has free Wi-Fi VVT but i like riding the older once since i can just listen to my offline music and read a book. If it's a Benny trolleybus like number 18 trolley going to the second ring of pasilaiciai i like standing in the middle or way in the back and watch how the trolley buss twists back and forth

LOVE THESE OLD MODELS THEY HAVE A SPECIAL VIBE OF A FIEW GENERATIONS BEEN RIDING THEM FOR MY WHOLE LIFE. WHEN COVID CAME AND THE LOCDOWN WAS PLACED... UFFF MAAAAN!!! MY HEART BROKE BECAUSE I COULDNT RIDE THEM 😂😂😂😢😢😢 SO SAD THEY ARE GOING TO BE REPLACED BY NEW ONES😢😢😢😢😢😢😢

Their chairs were actually more comfortable to me some times, not all the time... cuz they might've been worn down :D but if it was the poofy nicer ones, they were a delight riding on, even on a hot day, because of the opened windows.

I've been living in Vilnius since I was born 25 years ago, and I grew up alongside the old 14Tr trolleybuses. Personally though, I'd love to see them go at this point. They are iconic, yes. And very nostalgic. But man are they impractical. It's as you said yourself - too cold in the winter, too hot in the summer. I've been waiting for the city council to decommission these 14Tr's for years at this point, especially since we now have the super modern ones rolling around as well. Often when I go to work and I miss my usual bus, my other option is to take a trolleybus part of the way there and then transfer to a different bus that drops me off at work. But when it's -15 outside and on the screen I see that the trolleybus coming is a Škoda, I often just end up skipping and waiting the extra 5-10 minutes for my usual bus instead. One time when I was going home from college in the middle of winter, I sat down into one of the old Škoda trolleybuses, it was colder than being in an actual freezer in there. Lo and behold, the next day I woke up with a cold. I hope these things get off the streets of Vilnius at this point. Iconic and nostalgic, sure, but way overdue for retirement.

I like the idea of you inviting knowledgeable guests over for a video. Makes video more interesting

These are kinda rare to see old bus or trolley, i think i need to hop in one for last rides.

Loved the trolleys and Vilnius public transportation. Very efficient and easy to use with Trafi app

I ride these multiple times every day and I think they're great. The seats and suspension are nice and soft and I like the fact you can open the windows and not boil to death if the driver doesn't turn the AC on. Unfortunately we don't maintain our vehicles properly, so they're basically rusted to shit, but still work. Proves that old Czech vehicles are infinitely more reliable than modern ones.

I love how they look and the vibe, but hate when water drops on head when it rains. And it's cold inside at winter or too hot in summer. It often has funny old smell, rust everywhere, and it breaks often. 10/10 would ride it until I die.

For the sake of preservation I'd keep a few of these since I ride them around when needing to go far, but they are very uncomfy and easily crowded, the newer busses shown more comfort and space making me want more of those.

This is literally the video I wanted to make for the last 14 or so years. You beat me to it

It's a piece of history

Always like to see videos about trolleybus, especially when you consider Vancouver. (Though it helps that we have a robust Hydro-electric network, and with going green in mind, trolley is not a bad idea) BTW, how does the third door work? As you know we only get the third door on trailer-trolleys Of course in our case... you have good old PNW rain-slush. "It's a wet cold..."

I love these beauties. Especially during winter days, I find them warm and pleasant compared to red buses. Maybe I have soft corner for dinosaurs and relics of past... Nevertheless I love and respect these autobuses!!! ❤

Vilnius would benefit of a real tramway now. Build a tramway on those streets with several trolleybus routes, such as Stotis-Sauletekis and Valkininkų st.-Žirmūnų žiedas. Leave the rest of the lines served with renewed trolleybus network. My hometown (Tampere, Finland) is half the size of Vilnius and we just built a brand new tramway with two lines. Vilnius has no excuse to not have trams, you don't need to build it inside the the Old Town either :)

those round ones was the best, considering they there warm in winter.

I heard/read about muZcovite trolleybuses when learning required russian in a Polish school 40 years ago. I got to see my first one (totally unexpectedly) making a tight turn in Vilnius just last year. I hope to ride it one day :)

Troleys are the best.Basically like trams, but don't need tracks! Getting rid of them would be a colossally bad idea and a step into the wrong, car-centric direction.

All of these trolleybuses are sadly set to be retired by 2026 and replaced by brand new SOR TNS 12 Škoda and Solaris Trollino 18 IV vehicles. I’m honestly very sad and bill be grieving them after they go because I have been riding these vehicles since childhood. But the one thing I do hope is that these new trolleybuses will be good successors to the 14Tr

Awesome ❤

Kaunas has new trolleybuses that are quite comfortable to ride. The problem is that after the Soviet times everybody got a car and the public transportation system became vestigial.

Route nr 2 is the one I take every other day, and most trolleys are brand new there, to be honest most are newer ones, and from what I read, these Czech made ones are to be replaced soon. I think we should keep a couple of routes with these, maintain them properly, give them a "facelift" :) - that would be nice. Sadly we didn't keep the breadloaves - bulkos; those old, 60's made Czech trolleys. I remember them from my childhood. Used to wait for trolley in around 1999, hoping the breadloaf comes as they were so warm inside and winters here are harsh. And seats were extremely comfortable :)

i've been living in vilnius for just over a month now. unfortunately my student residence is really quite far from the city centre, so we don't have trolleybuses in this region. sometimes i do end up taking them though for going to different places, and it's quite a quaint experience. just wish it wasn't so hot in the bus

Make a video about "Metro in Vilnius". There was a suggestion made to build a metro but did not go through. Personally I think Vilnius needs a Metro and decommission a huge part of the trollies.

Video segment shown at 7:11 shows brand new trolleybuses just from the factory. The report briefly mentions and shows the newly purchased 2nd hand fleet (two trolleybuses with red numbers 195 and 200)

I live in Vilnius and I prefer Trolleybuses over regular buses, balancing on the old Skoda trolleybuses is a real sport, but the new Solaris trolleybuses are also great, It'd be great if they also renewed the overhead wires, since they're there since the soviet union times. I'm sad that trolleybus routes are somewhat getting replaces with bus routes, that go in similar routes (1G replaces route 5 and 2G is going on almost the same route as route 16)

I think with the green movement and a transition to sustainable transport, I believe the trolly busse should be upgraded to modern one with good heating and air con etc more suitable for the modern world

Its insane how they are still working like nothing happened

I was so happy when we got rid of them 2 years ago.

I love them very much up until I have to board one lol. JK, still even then when it's empty and the weather is mild, it's okay to ride one. I mean, it's okay as an attraction, but not as transport.

we have in Yerevan too

Some info about the future of trolleybuses in vilnius would be nice too. because I fu..g hate those old Škodas. no nostalgia at all. but the old Old round ones are fun. love that retro vibe. the ones still in use - boxes with wheels - have to go. also there was a stupid rumor that the old ones are still in use because some politician in Vilnius owns a repair depot for them and don't want to lose the income. the rumor is idiotic but shows to what lengths our imagination goes to explain why these pieces of rust and sh*t are still in use.

I actually find the older trolleybuses roomier and prefer their seat layout to the newer ones. But the lack of climate control gets really tiresome in the summer, they're noisy, and aren't very friendly to people with different needs or abilities.

It's strange that everyone is pushing for "green" transportation, but then decide to get rid of trolleybus. Only reliable electric transportation form there is. Without digging tunnels underground or laying rails.

Vilnius has the worst public transport among European cities by a very significant margin. It's kinda fun and cheeky to poke fun at the 'retro' trolleybuses, but the current situation is not due to the city trying to look retro-cool or fun, but due to its absolute and utter incompetence and mismanagement of the public transport system. It ultimately will affect Vilnius's competitiveness and life quality in a profoundly negative way.

They're fine. It's an EV without the battery problems.

My City Vilnius Will completely update trolleybuses in 2026 with completely new. Via Baltica n Rail Baltica has impact! They Mock us, but there is a Contract...

I love using the trolleys in Kaunas, I hate the Vilnius ones!

Kaunas gladly replaced all old Škodas with new Solaris by 2019/2020. It's a shame that Vilnius still has then as of 2024 in regular service.

I have no special feelings or mercy for these old Škodas. They must go. Why everybody is making such a drama about it? It is just an obsolele, rusty, uncomfortable and old model, that has no estetic or technologic value. It just constantly reminds about poor Lithuania's past. Thanks goodness, 50% of Vilnius trolleys is already new and modern Solaris rolling stock. The rest 50% are confirmed to be replaced by latest Škoda models by 2026, starting with this year... Good riddance! (pun intended!) 😂

no new word for us to learn? 🙄

I live in Vilnius and for the love of God let us move on from this garbage. Please don't make it an "icon". Public transport that does not suck is more important.

These trolleybuses are complete garbage. I hope they will be replaced asap

vilnius is a joke, no architecture, trees only , its sucks, riga and tallinn so much better

Just imagine how good and commited technicians are to keep them running at this state up until now. All they need is new colour patern, bright red as in London.