In the modern era the Ikarus-55 stands out as a true relic of mid century ingenuity. This futuristic intercity bus, built in Hungary from 1953 to 1972, also saw extended service in the USSR, where such buses remained in operation into the early 1980s before they gave way to the familiar models of the two hundredth family. One Ikarus-55 earned a place in the Moscow Museum of Transport after a careful restoration that respected its original design.
Restoration teams prioritized restoring the bus’s authentic appearance. Missing components were fabricated based on surviving drawings, and the exterior and interior were painted using archival photographs and diagrams to recover the bus’s original green shade. Damaged body panels and interior elements were replaced with authentic parts, and lampshades were reproduced according to original samples, as explained by Oksana Bondarenko, director of the Moscow Museum of Transport.
During its operational life the bus carried passengers in the German Democratic Republic, as evidenced by cabin signage in German. Its final years found it in Moscow, where a social services institution acquired the bus to assist passengers with mobility challenges. In the capital, such vehicles were commonly used as adapted transport, extending the reach of city services to residents from neighboring regions as well.
Locals gave the Ikarus-55 several nicknames reflecting its character. They called it Sputnik and Rocket for the impression of speed and a resemblance to the famous space era etchings, and its distinctive rear earned nicknames like Cupboard and Pike. The buses were celebrated for reliability, accumulating mileage well over a million kilometers without major repairs in many cases.
The Moscow Museum of Transport notes that the restored bus will join the permanent exhibition. It is slated for a future display on the museum floor dedicated to historic vehicles, reinforcing its role as a tangible link to the city’s transportation heritage.
- Ikarus was one of six foreign cars that left a mark on the USSR’s automotive memory.
- Behind the Wheel can be seen on RuTube.