Mexico City's 'Chapulín' Trolleybus Line Sees Two-Hour Travel Times on Inaugural Day

The "Ruta del Chapulín" (Chapulín Route), a new zero-line trolleybus connecting Cetram Chapultepec with Ciudad Universitaria in Mexico City, is experiencing significant delays on its inaugural day. The journey, which spans 22 kilometers and serves five mayoralties, is taking up to two hours due to traffic congestion on Avenida Revolución.

Clara Brugada, the head of government, inaugurated the line on Tuesday. The service features 60 all-electric 12-meter-long buses, representing an investment of 1.2 billion pesos. Passengers boarded without paying fares on the first day, as the overhead catenary system is not yet operational. The buses are decorated with colorful chapulín (grasshopper) imagery.

While the charging ports inside the buses are a welcome feature for students like Clara, who commutes from social service to classes, she expressed concern about the prolonged travel times. She noted that the current delays would make her an hour late for her class.

The boarding point is on Avenida Chapultepec, and the drop-off is outside the Estadio Olímpico Universitario. The route aims to serve users in the Cuauhtémoc, Miguel Hidalgo, Benito Juárez, Álvaro Obregón, and Coyoacán mayoralties.