Metromare

Metromare
A typical Metromare station in 2022
A typical Metromare station in 2022
Overview
OwnerPatrimonio Mobilità Provincia di Rimini
Area served
LocaleProvince of Rimini (RN),
Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Transit typeTrolleybus rapid transit
Number of lines1
Number of stations17
Annual ridership416,150 (2021)[1]
Operation
Began operation23 November 2019; 4 years ago (2019-11-23)
Operator(s)Start Romagna SpA
Rolling stockVan Hool ExquiCity18T
Number of vehicles9
Technical
System length9.8 km (6.1 mi)
Electrification750 V DC, overhead lines[2]
Map of Metromare

Metromare is a 9.8 km (6.1 mi) trolleybus rapid transit line in the province of Rimini, Italy. Part of Rimini's trolleybus system, the line runs between the railway stations of Rimini and Riccione on a segregated track beside the Bologna–Ancona railway. Fifteen intermediate stops serve the coastal suburbs, the touristic seafront, Federico Fellini International Airport, and the Fiabilandia amusement park. The service is operated by Start Romagna SpA, and launched in November 2019.[3]

Metromare is the culmination of decades-long planning of coastal rapid transit projects in the Romagna region. It is envisaged that the line could eventually be extended to serve the length of the riviera romagnola from Ravenna to Cattolica, forming a regional rapid transit network.[4][5][6] A 4.2 km (2.6 mi) northern extension to Rimini Fiera has been approved, with construction starting in summer 2024.[7][8]

In local politics, Metromare has been a controversial project, with opponents criticising its 78-million-euro construction cost and its protracted planning and construction phases, which spanned a quarter of a century.[9][10][4][11][12] Opposition was particularly strong in Riccione, causing a rift between the provincial and municipal governments.[13] Further criticism surrounded the decision to launch the service provisionally with buses, following a delay in the delivery of nine trolleybuses which ultimately entered service in October 2021.[4][14][15] Metromare's proponents cite its environmental benefits and the relief it provides on traffic congestion and the route 11 trolleybus, which also connects Rimini and Riccione but runs along the principal seafront avenue.[16]

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  7. ^ "Metromare Stazione-Fiera, il progetto passa in commissione. Lavori al via nell'estate del 2024" [Metromare Stazione-Fiera: The project goes to commission. Work to start in the summer of 2024.]. RiminiToday (in Italian). 5 April 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  8. ^ "Metromare, in III commissione la presentazione del progetto della tratta Stazione Fs-Rimini Fiera" [Metromare: The presentation of the project of the Station FS-Rimini Fiera stage is in the third commission]. Comune di Rimini. 5 April 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
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  11. ^ "Il Comune su tutte le furie: "I costi del Trc sulle spalle dei cittadini di Bellaria: inaccettabile"" [The Municipality is furious: "The costs of the TRC on the shoulders of the citizens of Bellaria is unacceptable"]. RiminiToday (in Italian). 11 March 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
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  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference :25 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ "Il Metromare elettrico al 100%, in linea i nuovi mezzi" [The 100% electric Metromare: The new vehicles are live]. RiminiToday (in Italian). 27 October 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference :10 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).