Surface transportation

Surface transport in Bucharest is run by Regia Autonoma de Transport Bucuresti (RATB) and consists of an extensive network of buses, trolleybuses, trams and light metros. The RATB network is one of the most dense in Europe, and the fourth largest on the continent, carrying about 1.7 million passengers daily on 121 bus lines, 30 tram lines, 3 light metro lines and 20 trolleybus lines. At times, however, it does suffer from severe crowding.

RATB is a reasonably efficient and a very frequently-used way of getting around Bucharest. As with the Metro, the system is going under a period of renewal. Highlights of the renewal include the introduction of a new light metro service, aside from trams, as well as wheelchair-accessible buses and trolleybuses.

Buses in Bucharest

The RATB bus network is the most dense out of all the transport types in Bucharest. In fact, RATB's advertisements state that one can never be more than five minutes walking distance from a bus stop. There are 121 bus lines (see Bucharest bus routes), most of which operate in the Municipality of Bucharest. However, there are also a few bus lines which provide services to the towns and villages which border Bucharest, in Ilfov county, and whose populations usually commute to Bucharest for work. In mid-2005, the lines that linked the city to the peripheral area were licensed out to independent transportation providers, but in early 2006, they were placed once again under the control of RATB due to a wide range customer complaints about the private operators.

Trolleybuses in Bucharest

Trolleybuses supplement buses on the RATB network, which operates 19 trolleybus lines, mainly on high-usage routes. During the 1990s, the fleet was updated with modern trolleybuses manufactured by Ikarus, in light blue and yellow livery, which have acoustic station announcements and digital display screens. These trolleybuses now make up the majority of the fleet. In early 2007, wheelchair-accessible Irisbus Citelis trolleybuses were introduced on routes 61, 62, 69, 70, 71, 86, 90, 91 and 92.

Trams in Bucharest

RATB operates a complex system of trams and light metros in the Municipality of Bucharest. Beside tens of tram lines, there are currently three light metro lines (numbered 32, 35 and 41), all of which run in the western part of Bucharest. Light metros use more modern rolling stock than trams and also run on separate designated corridors for faster travel times. The light metro service is expected to be expanded by upgrading existing tram lines to light metro status. The next line to be upgraded is expected to be Line 21.