Solingen trolleybus podcast tour: Green mobility history

How a postwar electric bus system became the model for tomorrow's cities

A self-guided podcast tour of Solingen's trolleybus network traces how this German city preserved its overhead electric bus system through political battles and technological change. The 3.6 km route covers six stops over roughly two hours, with audio narration from experts and locals, an interactive app guide, and turn-by-turn navigation built in.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Solingen's green mobility history

• Visit main shopping street
• See central overhead lines hub
• Explore Stangenbus cultural site
• Visit city administration building
• Observe air softening technique
• Tour main depot with BOB technology

The experience

The tour starts on the main shopping street, where the contrast hits immediately: massive electric buses moving silently overhead while the rest of the city breathes diesel. Solingen held onto its trolleybus network when other German cities abandoned theirs after World War II, and this walk traces why. The route passes the central hub (a tangle of overhead lines that looks like infrastructure from another era), and moves through neighborhoods shaped by the system's presence, stopping at the city administration building where officials fought to save the O-Bus in the 1980s and 90s.

The podcast itself comes from experts and locals, not a generic narrator. You hear from Tom, an architecture enthusiast, and Alicia, who grew up in Solingen, as they explain the technical shifts: from the original Stangenbus to today's Battery Catenary Bus (BOB) technology, and the cultural weight the trolleybus carries in the city's memory. The app handles navigation between stops and answers questions about what you're standing in front of, so you move at your own pace without getting lost.

The final stop is the main depot, where the tour shows how historical preservation and cutting-edge battery technology now sit side by side. This is infrastructure as a story about resilience and reinvention, told by people who lived it.

What’s included

• Podcast audio narration in English or German from experts and locals.
• interactive app guide with questions answered about history and surroundings.
• turn-by-turn navigation between the six stops.
• verified facts woven into the story.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Under 13: can't be booked

Audio guideEnglish and German

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Red Thread

Is this one for you?The self-guided format means you set the pace and can pause the audio to photograph the overhead lines or read the app details: useful if you want to linger at the depot or the administration building without feeling rushed. The minimum age is 13, and the route is flat and walkable for all fitness levels.

Top questions

What exactly is a trolleybus and why does Solingen's system matter?

A trolleybus is an electric bus powered by overhead lines: silent, zero-emission, and a technology most German cities abandoned after 1945. Solingen kept its network running and expanded it, making it a rare example of continuous electric public transport that now serves as a blueprint for modern green mobility systems.

How long does the walk take and how far is it?

The tour covers 3.6 kilometers across six stops and runs roughly two hours at your own pace. You can move faster or linger at any stop. The app navigation and audio guide work on your schedule.

Do I need to download anything before I start?

Yes, you'll need the app installed and the podcast audio downloaded to your phone. The app provides turn-by-turn navigation between stops and an interactive guide for questions about the sites and history you encounter.

What's the Stange-ab phenomenon the tour mentions?

The Stange-ab refers to a cultural practice tied to Solingen's trolleybus history: the tour explores how this moment became part of the city's collective memory and shaped attitudes toward the O-Bus system during the political debates of the 1980s and 90s.

Is this tour suitable if I'm not interested in technical details?

The tour balances technical explanation with cultural and historical storytelling. The audio comes from locals and experts discussing both the engineering and what the trolleybus means to Solingen, so it works whether you're drawn to infrastructure, urban history, or how cities make decisions about their future.