The first trolleybus system (1938–73)

Genoa's first trolleybus system was activated on 13 April 1938, to complement the Genoa tram network and replace its steeper sections. On 30 January 1951, trolleybuses replaced trams on the important uphill bypass.

At the time of its greatest extent (1955), the first trolleybus system consisted of nine lines totalling 27 km. Its trolleybus routes served only the central areas of the city, as opposed to the tram network, which stretched across Greater Genoa [it].

In subsequent years, the original system was gradually reduced, by replacing the trolleybus routes with bus routes, until its total closure on 10 June 1973.^[3]

The current system (since 1997)

Trolleybuses were reintroduced to Genoa on 26 June 1997, when route 30 was electrified between Foce and Via di Francia. Service was operated by a newly built fleet of 20 Breda two-axle trolleybuses, of which three were available at the time of reopening^[4] with delivery and acceptance of the remaining 17 taking place gradually through 1999.

Operation of the new trolleybus system was suspended from June 2000 to December 2002, for cut-and-cover tunnel construction for the Genoa Metro at Piazza De Ferrari. Only a few months later, in May 2003, a four-year suspension of trolleybus service on the western part of the system, west of Piazza delle Fontane Marose in the city centre, began.^[5] This was a result of the conversion of Via Balbi from a two-way to a one-way street (westbound only). The latter required the permanent diversion of route 30's eastbound routing to follow Via Gramsci, and some time passed before the new eastbound routing was fitted with overhead trolley wiring. In the meantime, trolleybus service operated as route 30-barrato (Foce – Piazza delle Fontane Marose), while diesel buses served the full route 30. Trolleybus service west of the city centre was reactivated on 13 February 2007.^[5]

On 5 May 2008, an extension west from Via di Francia to Sampierdarena entered service, thereby converting route 20 (Foce – Sampierdarena) into a trolleybus route. Route 30, which had been running from Foce to Via di Francia, was curtailed at its east end, to Stazione Brignole (Brignole station), no longer running to Foce.^[6] Route 30 operated Monday to Saturday at that time, but in January 2010, its Saturday service was discontinued.^[7]

On 15 October 2012, route 30 was replaced by 30-barrata^[8] (abbreviated as "30/" at stops and on destination signs), running only between Via di Francia and Piazza Fontane Marose, no longer between the latter point and Stazione Brignole (Viale Duca D'Aosta),^[9] a route section that was mostly duplicated by route 20. Because route 30-barrata includes one turn not equipped with overhead trolley wires, it is operated by motorbuses, and consequently route 20 became the only trolleybus route still operating.^[8] Most of the two-axle (Breda) trolleybuses were withdrawn at that time, but one or two were used in unadvertised supplementary service until 22 December, when they were withdrawn, leaving only the articulated (Van Hool) vehicles in service.^[10]

Retired trolleybuses

The following trolleybuses were used on Genoa's first trolleybus system:^[11]

Current fleet

Genoa's present trolleybus fleet is made up of the following type:^[10]

• Van Hool AG300T (17 articulated, low-floor trolleybuses, nos. 2101–2117); first unit entered service on 15 March 2008.^[14]