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The trolleybuses

1933-2003: 70 Years of trolleybus in MILANO

The most diffuse type of trolleybuses are these 70 two-axle Socimi units. Here 959 photographed in viale Gran Sasso is going from Deposito Molise to via Varé to take service on route 92. April 13th 2002.

Index

The network today

The system at a glance
Company	Azienda Trasporti Municipali (ATM)
System	Trolleybus network
Service	Urban
Routes	4
Lenght (routes)	40.4 km
Voltage	600 V
Depots	2
Opening of the first line	1933: piazza Spotorno – piazza Dergano
Maximum extension	104 km (1958)
Last significant abandonment	February 6th 1984: largo Augusto – piazzale Cuoco, piazzale Corvetto – Rogoredo FS (route 84)
Last significant extension	April 21st 1985: piazzale Rosa – viale Omero (route 93)
Cars in regular service	144

Milano has the largest urban trolleybus system of Italy. The two-way loop route "Circolare", counterclockwise 90 and clockwise 91, is one of the most important surface line of the city. The other two routes (92 and 93) are tangential routes that subsidize the North-eastern portion of "Circolare".

The most modern trolleybus in service in Milano are eight Busotti built in late '90s. Here, car 306 is in service on route 91 "Circolare Sinistra" in viale Molise on October 7th 2001.

When cars run a short working service to come back in depot, route numbers and destinations in the route blinds are shown in red (for example: 90 – term. p.le Lotto).

Bredabus 218, operating a 90 service, is coming off from the old underpass under the demolished Milano Porta Vittoria railway station on April 8th 2001. Now the overpass has been replaced by a level street, as the railway runs underground.

There are two depots: Deposito Molise in viale Molise and Deposito Novara in via Novara, this linked with "Circolare" by a long service line that runs in via Osoppo, via Rembrandt and via Novara.

From the '90s comes this view of the yard in Deposito Molise with the old four-axle Viberti 543, now scrapped, and the Socimi 132. Photo © Alessio Pedretti.

Milano trolleybus routes in 2003

Number Route Notes

90
CIRCOLARE DESTRA viale Isonzo (Porta Romana FS) > viale Toscana > viale Tibaldi > viale Liguria > viale Cassala > via Troya > piazza Napoli > viale Misurata > viale Bezzi > via Ranzoni > piazzale Brescia > viale Murillo > piazzale Zavattari > viale Migliara > piazzale Lotto > viale Elia > viale Serra > via Monte Ceneri > cavalcavia Bacula > piazzale Lugano > viale Bodio > via Jenner > via Resegone > via Lancetti > viale Stelvio > via Sauro > via Sondrio > via Tonale (Centrale FS) > piazza Caiazzo > viale Doria > via Pier Luigi da Palestrina > via Stradivari > viale Gran Sasso > piazza Piola > viale Romagna > viale Campania > viale Molise > piazzale Cuoco > piazza Salgari > via Caroncini > via Tertulliano > viale Umbria > piazzale Lodi > viale Isonzo (Porta Romana FS) –

91
CIRCOLARE SINISTRA viale Isonzo (Porta Romana FS) > piazzale Lotto > viale Isonzo (Porta Romana FS) in opposite direction of route 90 –

92 [ via Broglio > via Bovisasca > via Cosenz > via Durando > via Morghen > via Bovisasca > via Varé (Bovisa FNM) > via Mercantini ] – piazzale Bausan – via Imbriani – via Torelli – via Lancetti – viale Stelvio – via Sauro – via Sondrio – via Tonale (Centrale FS) – piazza Caiazzo – via Pergolesi – piazza Argentina – via Piccinni – viale Abruzzi – piazza Ascoli – viale dei Mille – piazzale Dateo – viale Piceno – piazza Emilia – viale Umbria – viale Isonzo (Porta Romana FS) –

93 [ via Stradivari > via Caretta (piazzale Loreto) > via Abruzzi ] – via Gran Sasso – piazza Piola – via Pacini – piazza Bottini (Lambrate FS) – via Valvassori Peroni – via Bassini – via Ponzio – piazzale Gorini – via Aselli – via Lomellina – via Sismondi – viale Campania – viale Molise – piazzale Cuoco – viale Puglie – piazzale Bologna – viale Lucania – piazza Corvetto – viale Omero –

Keys

piazza della Repubblica: the terminus is located in piazza della Repubblica.

via Ripamonti × via Selvanesco: the terminus is located in via Ripamonti at the crossing with via Selvanesco.

piazza Bottini (Lambrate FS): the terminus, or the generic stop, is located in piazza Bottini, but it is usually called "Lambrate FS"

[ A > B > C ] – D – [ E > ] [ < F ] – G – [ H > I ] – J: the route is from B to J: BCDEGHIJ, from J to B: JGFDAB.

Milano trolleybus routes in 2003
Number	Route	Notes
90 CIRCOLARE DESTRA	viale Isonzo (Porta Romana FS) > viale Toscana > viale Tibaldi > viale Liguria > viale Cassala > via Troya > piazza Napoli > viale Misurata > viale Bezzi > via Ranzoni > piazzale Brescia > viale Murillo > piazzale Zavattari > viale Migliara > piazzale Lotto > viale Elia > viale Serra > via Monte Ceneri > cavalcavia Bacula > piazzale Lugano > viale Bodio > via Jenner > via Resegone > via Lancetti > viale Stelvio > via Sauro > via Sondrio > via Tonale (Centrale FS) > piazza Caiazzo > viale Doria > via Pier Luigi da Palestrina > via Stradivari > viale Gran Sasso > piazza Piola > viale Romagna > viale Campania > viale Molise > piazzale Cuoco > piazza Salgari > via Caroncini > via Tertulliano > viale Umbria > piazzale Lodi > viale Isonzo (Porta Romana FS)	–
91 CIRCOLARE SINISTRA	viale Isonzo (Porta Romana FS) > piazzale Lotto > viale Isonzo (Porta Romana FS) in opposite direction of route 90	–
92	[ via Broglio > via Bovisasca > via Cosenz > via Durando > via Morghen > via Bovisasca > via Varé (Bovisa FNM) > via Mercantini ] – piazzale Bausan – via Imbriani – via Torelli – via Lancetti – viale Stelvio – via Sauro – via Sondrio – via Tonale (Centrale FS) – piazza Caiazzo – via Pergolesi – piazza Argentina – via Piccinni – viale Abruzzi – piazza Ascoli – viale dei Mille – piazzale Dateo – viale Piceno – piazza Emilia – viale Umbria – viale Isonzo (Porta Romana FS)	–
93	[ via Stradivari > via Caretta (piazzale Loreto) > via Abruzzi ] – via Gran Sasso – piazza Piola – via Pacini – piazza Bottini (Lambrate FS) – via Valvassori Peroni – via Bassini – via Ponzio – piazzale Gorini – via Aselli – via Lomellina – via Sismondi – viale Campania – viale Molise – piazzale Cuoco – viale Puglie – piazzale Bologna – viale Lucania – piazza Corvetto – viale Omero	–
Keys	piazza della Repubblica: the terminus is located in piazza della Repubblica. via Ripamonti × via Selvanesco: the terminus is located in via Ripamonti at the crossing with via Selvanesco. piazza Bottini (Lambrate FS): the terminus, or the generic stop, is located in piazza Bottini, but it is usually called "Lambrate FS" [ A > B > C ] – D – [ E > ] [ < F ] – G – [ H > I ] – J: the route is from B to J: BCDEGHIJ, from J to B: JGFDAB.

There is some idea to extend the network in the souther sector of the city, in particular to retransform the bus route 95 in a trolleybusline. But it isn't clear when this project will become reality.

Rolling stock

Milano trolleybuses in 2003
Type or series	Classification	Axles	Amount	Year	Chassis	Body	Electric equipment	Routes	Notes
100	100-132	2+1	33	1992-95	Socimi F 8843		AEG	91	–
200	200-232	2+1	33	1992-94	Bredabus 4001.18 F04		ABB	91	–
Busotto	300-307	2+1	8	1998-99	MAN NGT 204 F	Autodromo CAM Busotto	ADtranz	90	–
900	901-970	2	70	1983-85	Iveco 2470.12	Socimi 8820	CGE	92, 93	–
Viberti	548	3+1	1	1958	FIAT 2472	Viberti CV 33	CGE	Preserved	1
Viberti	583, 604	3+1	2	1964	FIAT 2472	Viberti CV 33	CGE	Preserved	1, 2
–	998	2	1	~ 1983	FIAT, Iveco, Viberti Effeuno		Ansaldo	Preserved	1
–	999	2+1	1	~ 1983	Mauri		Ansaldo	Preserved	1
Notes	Cars 548, 583, 998, 999 are stored in Famagosta metro depot. Car 553 is now in Car 604 should be in Abbiategrasso bus depot. Another Viberti car, number 553, is preserved at Museo Nazionale dei Trasporti (La Spezia). Car 583's body was rebuilt by Mauri in 1970.