Pescara's "La Verde" trolleybus line serves nearly 6,500 passengers in a week and is recognized as a European best practice - Sustainable Bus

"The Pescara-Montesilvano trolleybus line had been defined by the Court of Auditors as "one of the worst contracts in Italy," with unfinished works, critical issues, and progress blocked for years. Today, after a deep technical, administrative, and organizational redevelopment, "La Verde"-which entered service on 11 September 2025-is recognized as a European reference for interoperability, energy sustainability, and modal integration", states Maxmilian Di Pasquale, General manager of the public transport company TUA."

"Participation in the UITP meeting in Warsaw, where La Verde was recognized as one of the four best European experiences, demonstrates the effectiveness of this process. The fleet currently comprises six Van Hool-Kiepe Exqui.city 18 T articulated trolleybuses, each 18.61 metres long, equipped with two 160 kW motors and battery packs of 45 kWh. Each vehicle can carry up to 134 passengers, including 37 seated. Two additional 18-metre articulated vehicles from Yutong are planned for the service."

"Indeed, the Pescara-Montesilvano trolleybus line shows how modern, results-oriented public management can transform a project born under a bad star into a virtuous example for the sector. " We inherited one of the most problematic projects in the country. Today it is a European best practice. This is the value of teamwork and vision," emphasizes Di Pasquale."

La Verde trolleybus service opened on 11 September 2025 and has rapidly grown to nearly 6,500 weekly passengers, serving citizens, students, and workers along the Pescara-Montesilvano corridor. Ridership growth confirms the line's role as a main axis of metropolitan sustainable mobility. The project underwent deep technical, administrative, and organizational redevelopment after being labeled a problematic contract with stalled works. The system now features six Van Hool-Kiepe Exqui.city 18 T articulated vehicles with two 160 kW motors and 45 kWh batteries, 134-passenger capacity, and two additional Yutong vehicles planned. The line received recognition at a UITP meeting in Warsaw.

Read at Sustainable Bus