Zagreb Electric Tram
Public transport authority operating tram, bus, funicular and gondola services in Zagreb and parts of Zagreb County.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Zagreb Electric Tram, commonly known as ZET, is the public transport authority serving Zagreb, Croatia's capital, and selected surrounding areas of Zagreb County. Although its name reflects its historic role as the city's electric tram operator, the organization now manages a multimodal network that includes trams, buses, Zagreb's historic funicular, the Medvednica gondola lift and specialized mobility services. Its blue vehicles and signage are a highly recognizable part of Zagreb's urban identity. ZET traces its institutional origins to 1891, when horse-drawn trams began operating in Zagreb. Electric traction arrived in 1910, after the Belgian Compagnie Mutuelle de Tramways was engaged to build and maintain the electrical tram infrastructure. During the First World War, financial pressure and declining service quality led the City Savings Bank to acquire a majority stake in 1916. The bank subsequently supported the development of maintenance capacity, including a tram-repair workshop, and financed track reconstruction and expansion during the 1920s. The operator gradually expanded beyond trams. ZET assumed control of Zagreb's funicular in 1929 and absorbed the city's bus operation after the merger with City Bus Transport in 1931. In 1960 it was selected as the investor for the Zagreb Cable Car, which opened in 1963. The original cable car operated until 2007, while a substantially rebuilt Medvednica gondola lift opened in 2022. Today, ZET's tram system consists of 15 daytime routes and four night routes running across approximately 116 kilometres of track. The fleet includes vehicle families such as T4YU, KT4YU, TMK 2100, TMK 2200, TMK 2300, GT6M and TMK 2400. The bus network is broader geographically, with roughly 146 routes linking central Zagreb with districts, suburbs and nearby communities. The bus fleet has included vehicles from MAN, Mercedes-Benz and Iveco, with earlier initiatives involving biodiesel and compressed natural gas buses. An electric bus entered service in April 2025. ZET also operates the 66-metre Zagreb Funicular, which links Ilica with the Upper Town, and the modern Medvednica gondola lift. Additional services include vehicles for people with disabilities and Fulir electric vehicles for transporting older residents through the pedestrianized city centre. Ticketing is supported through kiosks, onboard sales, passes and the MojZET mobile application, which introduced QR-based purchasing and validation. The organization returned to direct ownership by the City of Zagreb in January 2018 after a period as a Zagreb Holding subsidiary. ZET's public-service role is reflected in its concessionary and free-travel policies, including free public transport for residents under 18 and over 65 under policies introduced from 2024 onward, subject to the required transport card. Its positioning is that of a municipally controlled, integrated urban and suburban mobility provider rather than a consumer-facing commercial brand.
History
Zagreb's organized tram history began on 5 September 1891, when the first horse-drawn tram service opened. This operation established the foundation for what later became Zagreb Electric Tram, or ZET. Electric trams began running on 18 August 1910. The Belgian Compagnie Mutuelle de Tramways was commissioned to construct and maintain the electrical tram infrastructure, marking the transition from horse traction to an electrically powered urban network. The First World War placed the service under financial pressure. In 1916, the City Savings Bank acquired a majority of ZET shares after shortages and deteriorating operating conditions affected the system. The bank invested in a workshop for tram repairs and later supported infrastructure renewal. Track reconstruction and new construction accelerated in 1924, helping the network recover and expand. ZET's remit broadened during the interwar period. The organization took responsibility for the Zagreb Funicular in 1929. Bus transportation had begun in Zagreb in 1927 under a separate enterprise, and after several early operating arrangements, the City Savings Bank placed the bus system under City Bus Transport. In 1931, City Bus Transport merged with ZET, bringing the city's bus routes under the same organization as the tramway. The operator expanded into aerial transport in the postwar period. In 1960, ZET was selected as investor for the Zagreb Cable Car, which opened in 1963 and connected the city with the Medvednica mountain area. The original gondola lift operated for decades before being closed permanently in 2007 after a major electric motor failure and an assessment that repairs would be uneconomic. A new Medvednica gondola lift eventually opened in 2022, with longer alignment, greater capacity and improved accessibility. Ownership arrangements changed after Croatia's transition to a modern municipal and corporate governance structure. In 1990, the City of Zagreb became ZET's owner. ZET became a subsidiary of Zagreb Holding in 2007. City Assembly decisions in 2014 and 2017 initiated a further restructuring, and in January 2018 ZET returned to the status of a public company directly owned by the city. The modern organization operates an extensive tram network with 15 daytime lines and four night lines. Approximately 259 trams serve around 116 kilometres of track and 261 stations. The network is concentrated in Zagreb's urban area, with service frequency generally highest during weekday peaks. The bus system complements the tramway, particularly in areas beyond the tram network, and comprises approximately 146 routes using a fleet of around 480 buses. Bus services reach Zagreb's suburbs and nearby communities including Zaprešić, Velika Gorica and Bistra. ZET has experimented with several propulsion technologies. Its bus fleet has included low-floor MAN, Mercedes-Benz and Iveco vehicles. The operator introduced biodiesel buses in 2007 and acquired compressed natural gas buses in 2008; practical deployment of the latter was limited until an appropriate refuelling facility became available in 2014. The first electric bus entered service in April 2025. The funicular remains one of Zagreb's most distinctive transport facilities. Built by David William Klein, it opened on 8 October 1890 and entered permanent operation on 23 April 1893. Steam propulsion was replaced by an electric drive in 1934. The line has two cars, each designed for 28 passengers, and connects the lower city with the Upper Town over a short but steep alignment. ZET's public-service model includes conventional tickets, onboard cash sales, transport cards, monthly and annual passes, reduced fares for students and people with disabilities, and digital purchasing through MojZET. Free travel policies for residents under 18 and over 65 were introduced in stages beginning in 2024. In addition to its core network, ZET provides disability transport and Fulir electric vehicles for elderly passengers in the central pedestrian zone.
- 2025
First electric bus enters service
[1]ZET introduced its first electric bus in April.
- 2022
New Medvednica gondola opens
[1]A new 5,017-metre gondola lift began service with 84 accessible cabins.
- 2018
Return to direct city ownership
[1]ZET became a public company directly owned by the City of Zagreb in January.
- 2007
ZET joins Zagreb Holding
[1]ZET became a subsidiary of Zagreb Holding, while the original cable car ceased operation after a serious mechanical failure.
- 1990
City of Zagreb becomes owner
[1]Ownership of ZET transferred to the City of Zagreb.
- 1963
Zagreb Cable Car opens
[1]The cable car for which ZET was selected as investor opened in July.
- 1931
Bus operation merges with ZET
[1]City Bus Transport merged with ZET, consolidating tram and bus services.
- 1929
ZET assumes control of the funicular
[1]ZET took responsibility for the Zagreb Funicular's maintenance and finances.
- 1924
Track renewal and expansion
[1]Investment supported reconstruction of existing tram tracks and construction of new sections.
- 1916
City Savings Bank acquires majority stake
[1]The City Savings Bank took control of a majority of ZET shares during wartime financial difficulties.
Products and positioning
Municipally owned, integrated public transport provider combining tram, bus, funicular, gondola and specialized mobility services for Zagreb and nearby communities.
Urban rail transit · 1891
Tram network
ZET's tram service is the core high-capacity component of Zagreb's public transport system. It operates 15 daytime routes and four night routes over approximately 116 kilometres of track and serves 261 stations. The fleet includes T4YU, KT4YU, TMK 2100, TMK 2200, TMK 2300, GT6M and TMK 2400 vehicles. Historically, ZET workshops also built or prototyped tram vehicles including the M-22, M-24 and three TMK 101 prototypes.
Bus transportation · 1927
Bus network
The bus network serves urban districts, suburbs and nearby communities that are not directly covered by tram lines. It comprises approximately 146 routes and around 480 buses, primarily low-floor vehicles from MAN, Mercedes-Benz and Iveco. ZET has introduced biodiesel, compressed natural gas and electric-bus initiatives over time.
Funicular railway · 1890
Zagreb Funicular
The Zagreb Funicular connects Ilica and Josip Eugen Tomić Street with Strossmayer Promenade in the Upper Town. It has two cars with capacity for 28 passengers each and operates on a 66-metre, 1,200 mm-gauge alignment. ZET has managed its maintenance and finances since 1929.
Gondola lift · 2022
Medvednica gondola lift
The modern Medvednica gondola lift opened in 2022 with 84 cabins and capacity of approximately 1,500 passengers per hour. Its route is about 5,017 metres long, rises roughly 754 metres and includes cabins designed to accommodate people with disabilities and bicycles.
Digital ticketing · 2024
MojZET
MojZET is ZET's mobile ticketing option. From 2024, passengers could add funds to the application and buy tickets by scanning QR codes positioned near vehicle doors. It complements kiosk sales, onboard cash purchases, transport cards and monthly or annual passes.
Accessible transport
Specialized mobility services
ZET provides vans for transporting people with disabilities and operates Fulir electric vehicles intended to transport elderly passengers through Zagreb's central pedestrian area.
Brand decisions
2025
Introduction of the first electric busProduct launchBackground
ZET had previously tested or adopted biodiesel and compressed natural gas buses as alternatives to conventional diesel propulsion.
Action taken
The first electric bus entered ZET service in April 2025.
Aftermath
The move marked the beginning of ZET's electric-bus operation, although the available reference does not specify subsequent fleet scale.
2024
Introduction of QR-based mobile ticketingOtherBackground
ZET modernized access to ticket purchases alongside its existing kiosk, onboard and transport-card channels.
Action taken
MojZET users gained the ability to fund the application and scan QR codes near vehicle doors to purchase tickets.
Aftermath
Passengers received an additional digital ticketing channel for tram and bus journeys.
2022
Launch of the new Medvednica gondolaProduct launchBackground
The former Medvednica cable car had been closed since 2007 after a motor failure and an assessment that repairs were too expensive.
Action taken
A new gondola lift with 84 cabins and improved accessibility opened in 2022.
Aftermath
The new system restored aerial public transport to Medvednica with higher capacity and facilities for bicycles and passengers with disabilities.
2018
Return to direct municipal ownershipStrategyBackground
City Assembly restructuring decisions in 2014 and 2017 addressed the governance of Zagreb Holding and its subsidiaries.
Action taken
ZET became a public company directly owned by the City of Zagreb in January 2018.
Aftermath
ZET continued operating as the city's integrated public transport provider under direct municipal ownership.
2007
Transfer into Zagreb HoldingStrategyBackground
Zagreb undertook a restructuring of municipal enterprises and placed ZET within Zagreb Holding.
Action taken
ZET became a subsidiary of Zagreb Holding.
Aftermath
The arrangement was later reversed, with ZET returning to direct city ownership in January 2018.
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