A fleet of 68 electric Yutong buses has been introduced into the public transport networks serving Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games. The vehicles are being used to support spectator and visitor travel between venues and surrounding urban areas.
The event is being held across two host cities with competition sites spread across four main zones and eight venues. Distances between some venues exceed 250 kilometres.
Local transport operators have added the Yutong vehicles to increase passenger capacity during the event period, when higher travel demand is expected from ticket holders, staff and tourists. The buses are fully electric and will operate as part of regular and event-specific routes.
20 U12 and eight E12 models have already entered service. A further 40 smaller E7S buses are scheduled to be introduced in phases depending on operational needs. The different vehicle sizes are intended to match varying route conditions, including longer inter-city transfers and narrower streets in older urban districts.
Transport planners selected a mixed fleet configuration to address winter operating conditions and route constraints. Features include battery systems designed for low-temperature performance and onboard safety and driver-assistance technologies. The smaller E7S vehicles are expected to be used on local feeder routes and short-distance urban links.
During the event, the buses will operate as zero-tailpipe-emission vehicles. After the conclusion of the winter sports programme, the fleet is expected to remain in service within local public transport networks in the Lombardy and Veneto regions.
