San Remo or Sunremo
Location: 650 km northwest of Rome, in the Province of Imperia, near the border with France.
An important resort town on the Italian Rivera, on the coast of the Ligurian Sea.

The following towns are served by the interurban trolleybus line (from west to east):
Ventimiglia, population 25 763 (2009)
Camporosso 5 562 (2008)
Vallecrosia 7 264 (2004)
Bordighera 10 667 (2007)
Montenero
Termini
Ospedaletti 3 500 (2004)
San Remo 56 864 (2009, including Bussana)
Bussana
Arma di Taggia
Taggia 13 205 (2005, including Arma di Taggia)

A trolleybus system was opened during the World War II and essentially became a replacement installation for trams. Trolleybuses took over former tram lines as the latter were closed one by one between 1942-1948. A trolleybus infrastructure is provided for the three potential trolleybus routes: to the west of San Remo, extending for 17,5 km. to Ventimiglia (Line V, where “V” stands for “Ventimiglia”); to the east of San Remo, extending for 11,5 km. to Taggia (Line T, where “T” stands for “Taggia”); and the urban route, covering a part of the two routes above within the limits of San Remo proper (Line U, where “U” stands for “urbano”). The section of the network between the eastern city limits of San Remo and Taggia is “temporarily” out of service since 2002, thus the Line T is served with diesel buses. The remaining two Lines U and V are served with a mix of trolleybuses and diesel buses, with a tendency to give preference to the latter whenever possible.

21.04.1942 – The San Remo – Ospedaletti section opens.
01.02.1948 – The San Remo – Taggia section opens.
1951 – The Ospedaletti – Ventimiglia section opens.
2002 – The San Remo – Taggia section is temporarily suspended.

Length: 57 km (one way).

Almost all trolleybus lines replicate the former tram lines’ routing. There are two exceptions: trolleybuses operate via Via Roma and Corso Orazio Raimondo in San-Remo, while trams used to run on neighboring Corso Giacomo Matteotti and Corso Giuseppe Garibaldi; the towns of Bordighera and Ospedaletti were never linked by trams due to steep grades.

The one-way westbound-only trolleybus line via Corso Giacomo Matteotti between Piazza Colombo and Piazza Stazione in San Remo was removed in 2009 due to the creation of a pedestrian area. This was a substitute line used whenever the main line on parallel Via Roma was closed for public events.

The line between San Remo and Taggia remains dormant since 2002 after being temporarily closed due to a succession of various road reconstruction projects that affect accessibility of an overhead. Since then two traffic roundabouts were installed, however, the overhead still follows through via a straight move, thus reflecting the old road design. At the same time the overhead on the Taggia line appears to be newly rebuilt in some places. A new section to the new Taggia railroad station was added.

The above stated length of the overhead reflects the loss of the line via Corso Giacomo Matteotti (500 m), and the addition of the line to the new Taggia railroad station (500 m).

The following services are associated with trolleybuses:
(hours / interval / running time / vehicles)

Line T: (operates with diesel buses)
San Remo, Autostazione – Taggia, Capolinea
Weekdays: 4:30-21:00 / 20 / 30 / 4
Weekends: 5:30-21:00 / 30 / 25 / 3

Line U (“U” for “urban”; operates with trolleybuses and diesel buses)
San Remo, Villa Hellios – San Remo, La Brezza
Weekdays: 5:30-19:30 / 15 / 18 / 4
Weekends: 5:30-14:00 / 30 / 18 / 2
Weekends: 14:00-19:30 / 15 / 18 / 4

Line V (“V” for Ventimiglia; operates with trolleybuses and diesel buses)
San Remo, Autostazione – Ventimiglia
Weekdays: 5:00-21:00 / 15 / 40 / 7
Weekends: 6:00-14:00 / 30 / 40 / 3
Weekends: 14:00-21:00 / 20 / 40 / 5

Line T/V (operates with diesel buses)
Taggia, Capolinea - Ventimiglia
Daily: 21:00-1:00 / 45 / 55 / 3

On weekends and holidays until 14:00 the Line T is operated between San Remo, Villa Hellios and Taggia. Thus, during this time each 2nd run via the Line U is covered by the Line T. Evenings after 19:30 the Line U is not operated and covered by the Lines T and V. A through service between Ventimiglia and Taggia operates daily after 21:00, covering all three Lines T, U and V.

The Line T is served with diesel buses since 2002 due to a succession of various road reconstruction projects.

The Line U is considered a primary trolleybus service, with most runs operated by trolleybuses. Diesel bus substitutions, however, are rampant.

The Line V is operated by a mix of trolleybuses and diesel buses with strong emphasis on the latter. This is due to power supply limitations after severe damage to the Ventimiglia substation by flooding that took place in 2008. This potentially limits operations on the Line V to 4-5 trolleybuses at any given time, with no more than 2 trolleybuses allowed within the Ventimiglia section. In reality, however, the number of trolleybuses operating on the Line V is usually limited to 2 or 3 (out of 7 vehicles scheduled to operate on weekdays).

Trolleybuses do not operate on weekends and holidays due to the fact that the technical support personnel are off. In addition, trolleybuses do not operate after 19:30 on the Line U and after 21:00 on the Line V on weekdays.

To sum up, trolleybuses are only operated on the following lines during the following times:
Line U: weekdays 5:30-19:30, most runs.
Line V: weekdays 5:30-21:00, 2-3 out of 7 runs.

[2010]

The former fleet:

FIAT 656/125 Gran Turismo / Cansa-CGE
FIAT 668/125 Freccia Azzurra / Cansa-CGE
FIAT 2411 Cansa / Menarini / TIBB ex-Verona, ex-Bergamo, ex-Bologna
FIAT 2411/1 Cansa / Menarini / CGE ex-Verona, ex-Bergamo, ex-Bologna, ex-Salerno
2470.12 FIAT-Ansaldo / Macchi prototype
1500-1505 IVECO 2470 / Portesi / CGE / Ansaldo

The current fleet:

Menarini 201 LF / Tibb: 3 low floor trolleybuses 1600-1602 (1988)
Bredabus 4001.12 / AEG: 10 high floor 1700-1703, 1706-1709, 1711, 1712 (1991)
Solaris T12 / Cegelec: 2 low floor trolleybuses 1800, 1801 (2007)
FIAT 2411 Cansa / Menarini / CGE: 1 historic trolleybus 29 (1958)

The following trolleybuses were recently written off:
IVECO 2470 / Portesi / CGE / Ansaldo: 6 trolleybuses 1500-1505 (scrapped in 2007)
Menarini 201 LF / Tibb: 1 trolleybus 1603
Bredabus 4001.12 / AEG: 4 trolleybuses 1704, 1705, 1710, 1713

15 trolleybuses are on the books, however, no more than half of these are available for service on any given day due to a perpetual state of disrepair for many trolleybuses. There are 15 vehicles needed for daily service for all three Lines T, U and V.

Note, even though 4 low floor trolleybuses were acquired in 1988, they were followed by an order of 14 high floor trolleybuses in 1991.

Even though there are persistent long-term trolleybus investments such as the new infrastructure and vehicle acquisitions (however, limited), there is also apparent antagonism toward trolleybuses at the operating level. In addition to the above described power supply problems, trolleybuses are operated to lesser extent than potentially possible as they are less popular with the personnel – older trolleybuses are considered obsolete if compared to more modern buses. Moreover, trolleybuses do not receive neither proper nor timely maintenance, with only a limited number of vehicles being available for service at any given moment. It looks like the trolleybus service is maintained only minimally in order to collect the associated state operating subsidies.

There are plans to sell the trolleybus depot property to a developer, and built the new depot in the suburban area in the vicinity of Taggia.