Metromare

Metromare is a 9.8 km (6.1 mi) trolleybus rapid transit line in the province of Rimini, Italy. Part of Rimini's trolleybus system, the line runs between the railway stations of Rimini and Riccione on a segregated track beside the Bologna–Ancona railway. 15 intermediate stops serve the coastal suburbs, the touristic seafront, Federico Fellini International Airport, and the Fiabilandia amusement park. The service is operated by Start Romagna SpA, and launched in November 2019.

Metromare is the culmination of decades-long planning of coastal rapid transit projects in the Romagna region. It is envisaged that the line could eventually be extended to serve the length of the riviera romagnola from Ravenna to Cattolica, forming a regional rapid transit network. A 4.2 km (2.6 mi) northern extension to Rimini Fiera has been approved, with construction starting in summer 2024.

In local politics, Metromare has been a controversial project, with opponents criticising its 78-million-euro construction cost and its protracted planning and construction phases, which spanned a quarter of a century. Opposition was particularly strong in Riccione, causing a rift between the provincial and municipal governments. Further criticism surrounded the decision to launch the service provisionally with buses, following a delay in the delivery of nine trolleybuses which ultimately entered service in October 2021. Metromare's proponents cite its environmental benefits and the relief it provides on traffic congestion and the route 11 trolleybus, which also connects Rimini and Riccione but runs along the principal seafront avenue.