"It's often said that a trolleybus has a lifespan of around 15 years. Unfortunately, our trolleys have held up for 18 to 20 years. /.../ Jokes aside, when a passenger needs to get from point A to point B and it's raining inside the vehicle or your heel goes through the floor, this is certainly not the level of service that Tallinna Linnatransport (TLT) aims to provide. An era is truly coming to an end — whether for better or worse," said Kaido Padar, head of TLT.

Both the blue trolleybuses and the electric lines above streets will now be taken off the streets.

In two years, battery-powered trolleybuses will return to Tallinn, but they will be more like buses and no longer need to run on electric cables.

Ukrainian trolleybus driver Vladimir took Thursday's "Aktuaalne kaamera" on one last trip from Mustamäe to Balti jaam.

"It's a shame, of course! I've been doing this job for quite some time now, I've gotten used to it, and the colleagues are wonderful. I really enjoy this work," he told the show.

Of the 120 trolleybus drivers more than half will retrain as bus drivers. Among other things, this means learning how to reverse. But a third of drivers chose to retire or leave TLT instead.

"At this point, I've worked here for four years and one month. But back in 1979, when I returned from military service, I also worked as a trolleybus driver. Then 40 years went by, I came back, and now it's ending again. I hope there'll be a third round in a few years," driver Sergei told AK.

"I do not mind whether I am driving a trolleybus or a bus; I am just sad that we have such wonderful people here, and now we're all going our separate ways. That is the saddest part," he added.

Olga is retraining to become a bus driver, but she also misses her trolley line.

"The last day of work and the final route. That's it, time to go home. It's heartbreaking. It feels like losing a loved one," she said.

Next year will mark 60 years since trolleys were introduced to the streets of Tallinn.

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