Azerbaijan & Nakhchivan

BakuBus MMC 15599 (99·JU·284). BMC Procity 12 CNG, new in 2019. One of 510 in service with the operator. Operating service 125 from 28 May metro station to the southern suburb of Lokbatan, a distance of 21km with a 10-minute headway. Photographed on Neftchilar Avenue heading out of the city.

The Republic of Azerbaijan sits on the borders of Europe and Asia with a coastline on the Caspian Sea; land borders with the Republic of Dagestan, Iran, Georgia and Armenia; has the enclave of Nakhchivan. With a population of 10.2 million the capital is Baku, main language is Turkic and the currency is the manat (1 manat = 47p). This former part of the Soviet Union is now a ‘democratically elected one party state’, rich in gas and oil reserves.

The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic is a land locked nation situated in the southwest end of the Lesser Caucasus and covers an area of 5,500 KM² with a population of 444,400. It has a 246km long border with Armenia; 204km with Iran and 11km with Turkey. Since the second Nagorno-Karabakh war of 2020 and the 2023 Azerbaijani offensive, the Republic is only accessible to foreigners by air. Biblically, Nakhchivan is said to be the resting place of the Prophet Noah and that the cleft peak of Mount Ilandag was carved out by Noah's Ark. The Republic is also considered one of the least polluted countries in the world, with no major industries and vast areas given over to mountains and national parks.

The capital of Azerbaijan, Baku, has a population of 2.62 million. The terrain is hilly, levelling out on the seafront with a 14km long promenade. The streets are often narrow, and the architecture is a mix of ancient, Soviet and spectacular modern. Public transport includes a two-line metro system, 70 city bus routes, 124 suburban routes, 6 minibus routes in the city and 17 in the suburbs; carries 350,000 passengers daily and is overseen by Baku Transport Agency (BTA). Tickets are purchased using the ‘BakkaKART’, a pre-loaded smart card. The municipal operator is BakuBus MMC with two bus garages, each has a capacity of 300 buses. Two large independents, Cinar Trans LLC and Khaliq Faiqoglu (part of the SAFA Holding group of companies) plus 41 small operators contribute about 2,168 buses to the network, with the minibuses, normally white, accepting only cash (0.30 manat in the city), payable before alighting. Passenger loadings are always heavy with services suffering from day long traffic congestion, and most routes continue to midnight and beyond. 

BakuBus MMC 67197 (77·JA·829) heads a line-up of four out of a total of 205 currently operational BMC Neocity 9M CNGs, new in 2022. The buses are lined-up at the Nizami Ganjavi Park terminus of route 10. Route 10 is a convoluted route east/west through the city centre, the western terminus being at the Zefir Shopping Mall. 

 

Baku’s public transport has seen huge investment and between 2015 and 2020, 603 medium and large-capacity buses were purchased, these included 300 buses bought in 2019. In 2020 115 Turkish built BMC buses were ordered, 80 were 12-meter long and 35 9-meter-long BMC Neocity. As a result of the Clean Bus Declaration (BUS2025), one BYD 12-meter electric bus was purchased in 2023. A second electric bus from China's ZhongTong Bus was purchased in 2024. Recently the Economy Ministry has signed an agreement with BYD to assemble vehicles locally. Major purchases have also been made by the two large independents, Cinar Trans LLC has invested in 150 new vehicles since 2017 and Khaliq Faiqoglu, who operate 300 buses (the blue buses in Baku) have received Otokar or Isuzu types for their city routes 18, 52, 61, 65, 79, 85, 96, 135 and 199.

         

BakuBus MMC 15406 (99·JB·291). BMC Procity 18 CNG, new in February 2020 and one of 20 in service. Photographed passing the architecturally amazing Heydar Aliyev Centre on route 13 towards the large park & ride/interchange site Mezhdunarodnyy avtovokzal.

Ganja is Azerbaijan’s second largest city (population 335,600) and owes much of its history to being on the original silk road. The city saw bombing by Armenian forces during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war. Between 1955 and 2004 the city had an extensive trolleybus network. Today most routes are operated by mini and midibuses of various ages and from several manufacturers. Information on the network is limited, although ten routes were observed.

20·EY·910 Karsan ATAK operated by Azər Avtonəqliyyat in Ganja. The vehicle was new to Baku in 2018 and came to Ganja in October 2023. Photographed passing the Ganja branch of National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan on Shah Ismayil Khetayi Avenue.

Sheki is a small city on the slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountains (population 68,460). There are 16 bus routes operated by minibuses (Marshrutkas) primarily of Mercedes Benz manufacture, the vast majority Mercedes 208D’s with the occasional 507D. Despite their age, these vehicles manage the hilly terrain with gusto: routes 11 and 17 climb to The Palace of the Sheki Khans situated at 800m above sea level, fully laden with passengers, showing little sign of their age. 

55·BJ·0882, PAZ-3205 operating route 22 in Sheki. Route 22 operates between the Olympic complex, bus terminal, hospital, theatre, old bazaar, caravansary, The Palace of the Sheki Khans, and children's hospital. The route climbs to over 800m on a steep incline. The bus is returning to the city centre passing the caravansary. 

Nakhchivan City (population 94,500) is the administrative centre for the Autonomous Republic. A small walkable city with wide boulevards, a result of Soviet planning, that provide a one-way system for the bus network. Until 2004 there was a trolleybus system consisting of three routes. Today the city buses are mostly Isuzu and King Long midibuses whilst suburban buses are fleets of Mercedes 208D/408D’s. The main bus station is in the north of the city at the junction of Dilgam Pishavari Road and the M7, whilst the out-of-town minibuses congregate around the central market in the south of the city. 

O·014·MR a MAZ 206 in Nakhchivan city. The only one of this type seen during the visit.

Ordubad is the second largest city in Nakhchivan, built on a hillside close to the Iranian border and is a mixture of modern and medieval architecture. The local bus service travels up Emin Sadliq Road, with the primary objective to get residents up the steep hill from the bottom of town using Mercedes 208D/408D’s.

75·BA·039, a KAvZ 3270. KAvZ is a subsidiary of the GAZ Group. Photographed in Ordubad, Nakhchivan, now acting as a motorhome.

Throughout the visit it was difficult to identify coach operators as most vehicles carried no signwriting. They were however quite modern vehicles. The current favoured large vehicle type is the Neoplan Cityliner, whilst slightly older vehicles mainly consist of Mercedes Benz Travelgo’s. New midi-coaches are TEMSA and all smaller coaches Mercedes Benz Sprinters.

99·JB·060, 99·JB·010, two of the numerous Neoplan Cityliners seen throughout Azerbaijan. These are parked at Heydar Aliyev Centre.

Azerbaijan is investing heavily in transport infrastructure. The recent agreement between the country and its neighbour Armenia to open a transit corridor between the two parts of Azerbaijan will see both road and rail links established. The investment in buses seen in Baku might spread to the hinterland. For now  Azerbaijan remains a hidden treasure.

Faiqoğlu 1044 (99·JM·354), Anadolu Isuzu Citiport 12, new in 2016 and one of 55 in service. The bus is arriving at the Yaşıl Bazar terminus on Khatai Avenue, Baku.

GAZ-3221, 55·BE·099 heading up hill on route 11 - new bazaar; bus terminal; old bazaar; caravansary; The Palace of the Sheki Khans; children's hospital; Olympic complex. Despite its age and heavy passenger loading, the vehicle makes the climb to over 800m with aplomb.   

75·AF·186, a PAZ-672 looking smart for its age, in the car park of the Dusdagh Salt Mines’ Hospital, Nakhchivan. The PAZ 672 was produced between 1968 and 1989.

77·CF·108 has a Sunsundegui Sideral body possibly on an Iveco chassis. Parked at the Qobustan State Reserve on a school trip.

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Romania 2023

In early October 2023, the opportunity arose to take a road trip through central Romania from Bucharest in the south, north through Transylvania, Moldavia and Bukovina. Public transport information on major cities/towns is readily available on line for pre-planning and use a similar online format including comprehensive timetables, route maps and ticketing arrangements. However, the smaller towns have little information and timetables are focused towards the local populations. Transport interchanges and bus stations are easily found using Google maps and street scene.

What was totally unexpected was the modern fleets of buses/trolleybus/trams. In Bucharest, Sibiu and Brasov, major investment in recent years, and still ongoing investment, has seen large fleets of non-fossil fuel vehicles delivered. A great deal of the funding required comes from central government and the EU.

Despite traffic being a major problem throughout the country, cities suffer congestion throughout the day and traffic heading out of town at weekends cause miles of queues, local public transport is popular with heavy loads observed throughout the day and evening.

Romania is a country well worth a visit: beyond the public transport there is wonderful history, architecture and scenery. Not forgetting the food, wine and beer.          

SC Tursib SA, Sibiu. SB 03TSB, fleet number 804, TEMSA LD 12 SB, new in 2022. Sitting between journeys in front of the overhead recharging point at Sibiu station - note the bicycle rack being towed. SC Tursib SA have a modern depot six kilometres from the city centre, close to the airport on Strada Munchen 1, in the Vest Industrial Zone. The company currently operate 148 vehicles. 119 new buses have been purchased in the last three years.

SC Tursib SA, Sibiu. SB 46SBT, fleet number 223, Anadolu Isuzu Citiport 12. Built in 2017, entered service in 2020. Approaching the Zidul Cetatii stop (the old walls) on a route 5 outward journey, the high frequency route has a 10-minute morning peak and 15-minute daytime headway.

SC Tursib SA, Sibiu. SB25SBT, fleet number 309, Menarinibus Citymood 18 II. Built in 2018, entered service 2020. SC Tursib SA operate 17 of these vehicles, although on a Sunday this was the only one that appeared to be operating. The only other articulated bus seen on that day was one of the recently delivered CNG powered Mercedes Benz. Photographed departing Zidul Cetatii with a standing load.

SC Tursib SA, Sibiu. SB 12SBT, fleet number 906, Solaris Urbino IV 12 electric, new in 2022. Photographed at the recharging point outside the central railway station, having just released the roof mounted pantograph. The bus was about to depart on service 5 between Valea Aurie and Gara with a 10-minute peak headway reducing to 15 minutes in the off peak.

SC Tursib SA, Sibiu. SB 70TSB, fleet number 129, Mercedes-Benz Conecto III NGT., new in 2021. Entered service May 2022. Photographed on Bulevardul Victoriei returning to the city centre.

SC Tursib SA, Sibiu. SB 74SBT, fleet number 902, Karsan Jest electric new in 2021. Operating a loop through the historic centre of Sibiu, the minibuses can carry 21 passengers, 10 of them seated. Two recharging points are located opposite the railway station entrance on Piaţa Gării (Train Station’s Square). The charging points look similar to those used for recharging cars and the buses park nose into the pavement, this facility allows for greater utilization throughout the day without the need to return to the depot.  

STB SA, Bucharest. B 03826, fleet number 5321, Astra Irisbus Citelis 12T, built 2007. Route 69 operates from Valea Argeșului Metro station via the university to Baicului. During the late evening this route still has seven buses per hour. Bucharest will receive 100 new Solaris trolleybuses in 2024.

STB SA, Bucharest. B 635STB, fleet number 6635, Otokar Kent C12, new in 2019. Operating route 368 Valea Oltului  to Piata Romana, the peak vehicle requirements being between 06.00-07.00 hours and 19.00 to 21.00 hours. Photographed passing the Parcul Ateneului Park and Garden. STB SA has 320 Otokar Kents in service.

STB SA, Bucharest. B 703PMB, fleet number 7003, Mercedes-Benz Citaro C2 hybrid, new 2020. Route 205 operates north from the old town to Straulesti. Photographed passing the National Museum of Art. The Bucharest Transport Company (STB, Societatea De Transport Bucuresti) was formed on the 13th of September, 2018 after a reorganisation of the financial structure of its predecessor RATB.

RATBV SA, Brasov. Left: BV 18FIP, fleet number 820, Menarinibus Citymood 18I, new in 2019. Right: BV 01514, fleet number 2025, Solaris Trollino IV 18 Škoda, new in 2020, currently 26 are in operation. Photographed in the Castel Bus Station, a large interchange with eight stands.

RATBV SA, Brasov.  BV 22TOC, Karsan e-ATA 18, new 2022. There are currently 12 in operation. Photographed negotiating the roundabout at Nicolar Titulescu Park on route 5 towards Roman.

RATBV SA, Brasov.  BV 19WEL, fleet number 2132, SOR EBN 8, new 2021. There are currently 10 in service.  These buses are 8m in length, seating 16, fitted with Winston Battery / Lithium-ion with a capacity of 172 kWh. Departing Castel Bus Station on route 50, heading south west to the hills and beauty spot of Solomon's Stones Spring.

RATBV SA, Brasov. BV 01483, fleet number 2003, Solaris Trollino IV 18 Škoda, new 2020. One of 26 in service. Departing Castel Bus Station on trolleybus route 6 towards Saturn, a large bus station south east of the city. Shortly after departing the city centre the trolleybus reverts to overhead power.

RATBV SA, Brasov. BV 20FYS, fleet number 2179, Mercedes-Benz Citaro C2 hybrid, new 2021. Photographed on stand in Castel Bus Station, about to depart on route 28 to IAR Ghimbav, an industrial estate and airfield north of the city centre served only at peak times. The service normally terminates at Fundaturii a couple of kilometres short of the airfield.

SC Transport Local SA, Târgu Mureş. MS 82TGM fleet number 109, BMC Procity 12, new 2021. Currently 20 in service.

SC Transport Local SA, Târgu Mureş. MS 83TLM, fleet number 83, Mercedes-Benz O405G, new in 1997. Arrived into the fleet in 2020 from SC Siletina Impex SRL where it was registered MS 41 TLS having been in their fleet since 2016. Delivered new to RBS Regionalcenter Lauda, Stuttgart, Germany as S-RS 738 in October 1997. Sold in July 2012 to Franz Scharnagel, Ansbach, Germany and registered AN-VA 612.

SC Transport Local SA, Târgu Mureş. MS 19 TGM, fleet number 201, Solaris Urbino IV 12 Electric, new in 2022. The city has 32 in service. Route 20 is a convoluted cross city service with a 15-minute headway between 05.00 and 22.15 hrs. The city of Târgu Mureş has a population of 116,000 located in the Transylvania region of central Romania.

SC Apă Termic Transport SA, Sighișoara. MS 38 ATT Mercedes-Benz O530 Citaro, built 2004, arrived in Sighișoara 2020. New to Verkehrsbetriebe Brandenburg an der Havel GmbH as BRB-VK 134. SC Apă Termic Transport SA currently operate 18 vehicles of which 14 are second hand. Despite the number displayed in the windscreen this bus appears to be on route 1. The town has two routes numbered 1 and 2 which both do variations throughout the day. Route 1 has eighteen variations and route 2 twenty variations plus a more regular route listed as ‘Baragan Bus Schedule’.

BMC Romania has its import centre in the north of Bucharest at Ciorogarla, importing two models, the Procity and Neocity.  100 new BMC electric buses will start running in Bucharest by the end of 2023. The first batch of 51 buses arrived in the port of Constanta in October 2023 with the rest scheduled to be delivered in November. The buses are 12 meters long and have a range of at least 200 km between charges, and are produced in partnership with the Chinese company ZTE Smart Auto. Future production of the buses could start in Ciorogârla.

Gura Humorului, Romania. SV 22PGH, Karsan Atak electric, new in 2022. This is one of four acquired by the town. Photographed on route 2 heading towards Voroneț. Gura Humorului is a small town of approximately 17,000 inhabitants located in the north of Romania some 60 kms south of the Ukraine border.

SC Troleibuzul SA, Piatra Neamț. On the left, NT 48TPN, Irisbus Crossway LE 10.8M, new in 2012 to Arriva Lelystad as 85-BBB-4. Purchased by SC Troleibuzul in 2022. On the right, an Isuzu Novociti from 2018. Much of the town centre is undergoing major road works with most bus services being on divert. Piatra Neamț is the capital city of Neamț County, in Western Moldavia the north eastern area of Romania.

SC Transmixt SA, Bistrița. On the right, B 158TMX, Güleryüz Ecoline 12, new in 2016. On the left, BN 09 TMX, Irisbus Crossway 12.8M, new in October 2023. The buses converge on the roundabout at Calea Moldovei and Strada Nasaudului.

SC Transmixt SA, Bistrița. BN 04TMX, Mercedes-Benz O530 Citaro, new in 2003. Arrived into the fleet February 2018. New to Havelbus Verkehrsgesellschaft mbH, Potsdam, Germany as P-AV 340. Later became PM-RB 340 at Regiobus, Potsdam Mittelmark GmbH before joining SC Transmixt SA. 

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