The Irisbus Agora (previously known as Renault Agora, Karosa City Bus or Ikarus Agora) was a
low-floor bus
A low-floor bus is a bus or trolleybus that has no steps between the ground and the floor of the bus at one or more entrances, and low floor for part or all of the passenger cabin. A bus with a partial low floor may also be referred to as a low- ...
designed and built by
Renault
Groupe Renault ( , , , also known as the Renault Group in English; legally Renault S.A.) is a French multinational automobile manufacturer established in 1899. The company produces a range of cars and vans, and in the past has manufactured ...
from 1995 to 2002, date upon which it has been built by
Irisbus
IVECO Bus (formerly Irisbus) is a bus manufacturer with headquarters in Turin. IVECO Bus is now only a brand division of IVECO which is a company incorporated under Dutch law and listed on Borsa Italiana.
History IVECO (1975 - 1999)
In 1975 ...
, firstly a joint-venture with
Fiat
Fiat Automobiles S.p.A. (, , ; originally FIAT, it, Fabbrica Italiana Automobili di Torino, lit=Italian Automobiles Factory of Turin) is an Italian automobile manufacturer, formerly part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, and since 2021 a subsidiary ...
subsidiary
IVECO
IVECO, an acronym for Industrial Vehicles Corporation, is an Italian multinational transport vehicle manufacturing company. It designs and builds light, medium, and heavy commercial vehicles. The name IVECO first appeared in 1975 after a merger o ...
from 1999, with
Iveco
IVECO, an acronym for Industrial Vehicles Corporation, is an Italian multinational transport vehicle manufacturing company. It designs and builds light, medium, and heavy commercial vehicles. The name IVECO first appeared in 1975 after a merger o ...
engines. It has also been built by Czech-based
Karosa
Karosa ( cs, Továrna na Kočáry, Automobily, Rotory, Obráběcí stroje, Sekací stroje a Autobusy, en, Factory for carriages, cars, rotors, machine tools, cutting machines and buses) was a bus manufacturer in Vysoké Mýto in the Czech Republi ...
under the Citybus name as a
diesel-powered bus, Skoda as a
trolleybus
A trolleybus (also known as trolley bus, trolley coach, trackless trolley, trackless tramin the 1910s and 1920sJoyce, J.; King, J. S.; and Newman, A. G. (1986). ''British Trolleybus Systems'', pp. 9, 12. London: Ian Allan Publishing. .or troll ...
in
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is a subregion of the Europe, European continent. As a largely ambiguous term, it has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic connotations. The vast majority of the region is covered by Russ ...
an markets as the
Škoda 24Tr Irisbus
Škoda 24Tr Irisbus (known as Irisbus Skoda 24Tr in Western Europe) is a low-entry trolleybus model built from 2003 until 2014 by Czech trolleybus manufacturer ''Škoda Electric'' (subsidiary of Škoda Transportation), supplying electrical equi ...
and
Škoda 25Tr Irisbus
Škoda means ''pity'' in the Czech and Slovak languages. It may also refer to:
Czech brands and enterprises
* Škoda Auto, automobile and previously bicycle manufacturer in Mladá Boleslav
** Škoda Motorsport, the division of Škoda Auto respons ...
, and by the Romanian-based
Astra Bus
Astra Bus is a bus manufacturer based in Arad, Romania. The company was established in 1996, splitting from Astra Vagoane Arad, a company specialized in manufacturing railroad cars. Since 2003, it is part of the Cefin Holding Group and their p ...
.
On February 8, 2006, the last Irisbus Agora was delivered to
RATP, being replaced in production by the
Irisbus Citelis
The Irisbus Citelis is a low-floor city bus produced by Irisbus from 2005 to 2013 when it was replaced in production by Iveco Bus Urbanway.
Production and operation
It was introduced in 2005 to replace the Agora. It comes in three varieti ...
.
Range
The range consisted of:
* Standard 12-metre "S" version, available in one-, two- or three-door form
* Articulated 18-metre "L" version in three- or four-door form
* "Line" 12-metre version in one, two or three-door form (built from 1999). This version is distinct from the standard Agora by its engine layout, which is longitudinally-mounted (under the rear passenger seats) instead of being transversely mounted in the Agora S and L. That gives the Line version a slightly greater seating capacity and a better fuel economy over the S version. This version was briefly sold in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
, in right hand drive.
* Intercity version called "Moovy" (unveiled in 2003) which was based on the Agora Line.
Operators
Over 11,000 were built, mainly for
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
an operators. Right hand drive countries for
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
and
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
n bus operators have 1 door only.
Europe
The
RATP Group RATP may refer to:
Transportation:
* RATP Group, or ', a public transport operator based in Paris, France
* RATP Iași (), a transit operator responsible for public transportation in Iași, Romania
* RATP Ploiești (), a transit operator responsi ...
was the largest purchaser with over 2,500. Standard Agora buses have been used in
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
by
Athens
Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
bus operator
OASA
The Athens Mass Transit System is the largest mass transit system of Greece. The system is run by the OASA S.A. organisation and serves Athens Urban Area and the Athens Metropolitan Area (most of the Region of Attica without the island section) ...
in two versions:
diesel
Diesel may refer to:
* Diesel engine, an internal combustion engine where ignition is caused by compression
* Diesel fuel, a liquid fuel used in diesel engines
* Diesel locomotive, a railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engin ...
and
CNG
Compressed natural gas (CNG) is a fuel gas mainly composed of methane (CH4), compressed to less than 1% of the volume it occupies at standard atmospheric pressure. It is stored and distributed in hard containers at a pressure of , usually in cy ...
.
In
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
the Agora (known as Renault/Irisbus Citybus) have been one of the most common buses in the 2000s and 2010s, with plenty of units in
Málaga
Málaga (, ) is a municipality of Spain, capital of the Province of Málaga, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. With a population of 578,460 in 2020, it is the second-most populous city in Andalusia after Seville and the sixth most pop ...
,
Sevilla
Seville (; es, Sevilla, ) is the capital and largest city of the Spain, Spanish autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the Guadalquivir, River Gua ...
,
Madrid
Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...
,
Valencia
Valencia ( va, València) is the capital of the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, Valencia and the Municipalities of Spain, third-most populated municipality in Spain, with 791,413 inhabitants. It is ...
or
Zaragoza
Zaragoza, also known in English as Saragossa,''Encyclopædia Britannica'"Zaragoza (conventional Saragossa)" is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. It lies by the Ebro river and its tributari ...
from both Renault and Irisbus and also Standard and Long versions.
In
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
321 Agora S (Citybus 12M) and 53 Agora L (Citybus 18M) were delivered to
Prague
Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...
and more than 350 buses to other Czech cities. They were manufactured in
Karosa
Karosa ( cs, Továrna na Kočáry, Automobily, Rotory, Obráběcí stroje, Sekací stroje a Autobusy, en, Factory for carriages, cars, rotors, machine tools, cutting machines and buses) was a bus manufacturer in Vysoké Mýto in the Czech Republi ...
factory in
Vysoké Mýto
Vysoké Mýto (; german: Hohenmaut, also ''Hohenmauth'') is a town in Ústí nad Orlicí District in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 12,000 inhabitants. Its town square is the largest example of its type in the country. T ...
(today part of
Iveco Bus
IVECO Bus (formerly Irisbus) is a bus manufacturer with headquarters in Turin. IVECO Bus is now only a brand division of IVECO which is a company incorporated under Dutch law and listed on Borsa Italiana.
History IVECO (1975 - 1999)
In 1975 F ...
).
United Kingdom
In
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, 23 were bodied by
Optare
Switch Mobility (originally called Optare) is an English bus manufacturer based in Sherburn-in-Elmet, North Yorkshire. It is a subsidiary of Indian company Ashok Leyland. The company would be responsible for the EV operations of the group with ...
, the majority for
Norfolk Green for its rural and urban services.
Australia
In Australia, a batch was ordered by
King Brothers. Six
Northcoast Bus & Coach bodied examples were delivered, however a larger order for
Custom Coaches
Custom Bus (previously Custom Coaches) is an Australian bus body builder in St Marys, New South Wales.
History Cycle Components Manufacturing Company
In 1935 Stanley Hillsdon founded Cycle Components Manufacturing Company (CCMC) in Guildford, ...
and
Australian Bus Manufacturers bodied examples was reneged on and amongst the operators to purchase them were
ACTION
Action may refer to:
* Action (narrative), a literary mode
* Action fiction, a type of genre fiction
* Action game, a genre of video game
Film
* Action film, a genre of film
* ''Action'' (1921 film), a film by John Ford
* ''Action'' (1980 fil ...
(20),
Baxter's Bus Lines
Baxter's Bus Lines is an Australian bus charter company in Sydney. Until August 2006, it operated route bus services in Western Sydney.
History
Baxter's Bus Lines was founded by Roy Baxter and his son Garry after the Merrylands based services o ...
(5),
Fearne's (5) and
Thompsons Bus Service
Thompsons Bus Service is an Australian operator of bus services in the northern suburbs of Brisbane. It operates eight services under contract to the Queensland Government
The Queensland Government is the democratic administrative authority ...
(5).
Kings for a day
''Sydney Morning Herald
''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily compact newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and owned by Nine. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper i ...
'' 10 May 2003
Gallery
File:RATP128 PorteOrléansMétro.JPG, RATP Group RATP may refer to:
Transportation:
* RATP Group, or ', a public transport operator based in Paris, France
* RATP Iași (), a transit operator responsible for public transportation in Iași, Romania
* RATP Ploiești (), a transit operator responsi ...
''Standard (S)'' Renault Agora in Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
in July 2010
File:213-5 TCAT.jpg, ''Standard (S)'' Irisbus Agora in Troyes
Troyes () is a commune and the capital of the department of Aube in the Grand Est region of north-central France. It is located on the Seine river about south-east of Paris. Troyes is situated within the Champagne wine region and is near to ...
in November 2012
File:IrisbusAgoraLGNVNice.JPG, An ''Articulated (L)'' Irisbus Agora in Nice
Nice ( , ; Niçard: , classical norm, or , nonstandard, ; it, Nizza ; lij, Nissa; grc, Νίκαια; la, Nicaea) is the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative c ...
in July 2007
File:Agora Line sur la ligne LA Claude Bernard à la Gare de Lieusaint - Moissy.jpg, A Irisbus Agora ''Line'' in Lieusaint in January 2012
File:Emt-madrid-15.JPG, Empresa Municipal de Transportes de Madrid
The Empresa Municipal de Transportes de Madrid (also known as EMT Madrid) is the company charged with the planning of public urban transport in the city in Madrid, Spain. The organization is wholly owned by the City Council of Madrid and is a me ...
Renault Agora ''Line'' in Madrid
Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...
in February 2007
File:Carousel Buses AL3 C3 WYC.JPG, Carousel Buses
Carousel Buses is a bus company based in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England. Originally an independent company, it is a subsidiary of the Go-Ahead Group. It is grouped together with Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel, both of Oxfordshire, ...
Optare
Switch Mobility (originally called Optare) is an English bus manufacturer based in Sherburn-in-Elmet, North Yorkshire. It is a subsidiary of Indian company Ashok Leyland. The company would be responsible for the EV operations of the group with ...
bodied Irisbus Agora ''Line'' in High Wycombe
High Wycombe, often referred to as Wycombe ( ), is a market town in Buckinghamshire, England. Lying in the valley of the River Wye surrounded by the Chiltern Hills, it is west-northwest of Charing Cross in London, south-southeast of Ayl ...
in July 2009
File:Irisbus Agora S n°387 de la Ligne d'Azur.jpg, Lignes d'Azur's Irisbus Agora S in April 2017
File:Irisbus-Cluj3.jpg, CTPCJ Irisbus Agora in Cluj-Napoca
; hu, kincses város)
, official_name=Cluj-Napoca
, native_name=
, image_skyline=
, subdivision_type1 = Counties of Romania, County
, subdivision_name1 = Cluj County
, subdivision_type2 = Subdivisions of Romania, Status
, subdivision_name2 ...
in July 2006
File:Bus_Citybus_12M_Brno.jpg, Irisbus Citybus 12M (S) in Brno
Brno ( , ; german: Brünn ) is a city in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. Located at the confluence of the Svitava and Svratka rivers, Brno has about 380,000 inhabitants, making it the second-largest city in the Czech Republic ...
in May 2007
File:Bus_line_253_Irisbus_Agora_L_-_Citybus_18M.JPG, Irisbus Citybus 18M (L) in Prague
Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...
in 2007
References
{{Optare timeline
Agora
The agora (; grc, ἀγορά, romanized: ', meaning "market" in Modern Greek) was a central public space in ancient Greek city-states. It is the best representation of a city-state's response to accommodate the social and political order of t ...
Agora
The agora (; grc, ἀγορά, romanized: ', meaning "market" in Modern Greek) was a central public space in ancient Greek city-states. It is the best representation of a city-state's response to accommodate the social and political order of t ...
Buses
Low-floor buses
Articulated buses
Tri-axle buses
Buses of France
Vehicles introduced in 1995