KONKĖ: THE FIRST PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN VILNIUS

Jurgis Vanagas

doi:10.3846/16484142.2016.1167124

Abstract

The first public rail transport in the world started functioning in 1820. Like everywhere at that time, horsedrawn coaches heaved on tracks were the most popular. The first horse-drawn tram started carrying passengers in the industrial region of Wales, England. Starting from 1893, three the so called konkė lines of such a tram started operating in Vilnius. Although the ticket was expensive to the city residents of those days, however, they intensively used this kind of transport: in 1909, 2.6 million passengers were transported. Although attempts to replace horse drawn-vehicles by internal combustion engines after the First World War were made, this form of transport was found to be irrational and soon gave the way to buses. Initiative for the trams equipped with electric motors was shortly defeated in Vilnius: lack of funds was felt, and confusion in the administration of the city was predominating. For the period 1915–1920, the local government changed very frequently. In 1926, konkė tracks were dismantled. Its remains still can be seen at the enclosures of the embankment of the Vilnia (Vilnios upė) confluence. The coaches were sold for suburban residents that erected small cattle-sheds for domestic animals.

Highlights

Under conditions of a free market economy, the forms of residential construction have dramatically changed: instead of creating large residential districts of the blocks of flats predominant in the post-war decades in Vilnius as well as in other towns of Lithuania, the pace of lowrise housing with gardens has substantially increased
The first horse-drawn trams in Europe started running between Czech city České Budějovice and Austrian Linz in 1828
Vilnius Duma suggested a possibility of advancing the horse-drawn tram in the future replacing it with steam, electric or internal combustion engines, but failed to take appropriate actions

Summary

Introduction

Under conditions of a free market economy, the forms of residential construction have dramatically changed: instead of creating large residential districts of the blocks of flats predominant in the post-war decades in Vilnius as well as in other towns of Lithuania, the pace of lowrise housing with gardens has substantially increased. For more than a decade, discussions on how to radically improve the public transport system have been held. The proposed scale of suggestions is very wide – from improvements in the qualitative indexes of the available transport – shortening journey times, increasing passenger comfort and attempts at making it more attractive to fundamental reforms, including building the lines of above ground (trams) and underground (subway) transport. Public transport in Vilnius has counted for more than a hundred years. In the light of inevitable changes, it is worth opening the first pages of its history

Analytical Part

The First Public Transport in Vilnius

From the Horse-Drawn to Mechanically Driven Tram

Conclusions