From the very beginning city of Stachanov (Kadiivka until 1978) developed as agglomeration of several villages (Almazna, Brianka, Irmyne etc.) appeared in the vicinity of coal mines, which predetermined the construction of tram. Official opening of first line connecting center of Kadiivka with coal mine in Irmyne (nowadays Teplohirsk) took place on February 15, 1937. Current network was completed till the end of 1937 and system remained almost untouched until 1991. Three routes connected Kadiivka city center with Irmyne  at north-west, Almazna train station at south-west, and machine factory at south-east. During the war tram was partially destroyed, after service resumed the network configuration was slightly changed in the market area of Kadiivka, later on most of the routes got the second track. In March 1991 service on line 3 (to machine factory) was stopped, while in July on route 2 to Almazna railway station because tram viaduct was in a bad shape.

Rolling stock during all times was more or less typical as for small Donbas towns. Before the war there were 6 passenger cars and 5 trailers, all of them 2-axle, after the war their number increased (last trams of pre-war construction worked till 1968). First КТМ-1/КТП-1 came in 1957, while КТМ-2/КТП-2 in 1961 (in service until 1974 and 1977 respectively). First КТМ-5М started their service in 1972 and after 1977 became the only type. Number of trams slowly decreased (38 in 1973, however, most of them 2-axle; 23 in 1990, 8 in 2000), and now rolling stock consists of only 4 КТМ-5М, maximum 2 of them  are in good order. As of June 2007 a single route operates in the city:

Tram service was suspended 11 November 2007

Trolleybus started its operation from March 1, 1970 with rolling stock consisting of „Київ-6". Single line connected northern suburbs with southern and after couple of years was further extended to the very north of Stachanov till Festyvalna vul. Later on new line was built to Zavod Techvuhleciu (Technical Carbon Factory) and at the end of 1980s to newly built housing estate im. 40-r Peremohy. Since 1992 trolleybus became suburban linking town of Almazna with Stachanov instead of tram which was closed a year before. This route crossed the industrial railway in one level and did not need to use the tram viaduct which was in a bad shape. On November 3, 1997 single route on vul. Dzierżyńskoho in the market area was inaugurated which allowed to increase number of trolleybuses in southern direction (route # 1 operated then vul. Dzierżyńskoho - Almazna). However, the deficit of rolling stock and insufficient passenger flow caused the closure of line to Technical Carbon Factory. Official closure date was February 25, 2004 but service has stopped couple of years before. Now trolleybuses operate from 5-30 till 14-30. Recently route 4 had only one tour but starting from spring 2007 after the road was slightly repaired trolleybuses operate in a normal way. However, there is no service on this line when it is raining and in this case all 4 cars operate on route 3. As of June 2007 the following routes operate in the city:

Apart from „Київ-6" rolling stock  in first years also consisted of ЗиУ-5 (operated until 1982 and 1981 respectively). Ubiquitous ЗиУ-9 (first came in 1977) were and are now the main type of rolling stock. During 1998-1999 three ЛАЗ-52522 slightly replenished tremendously decreasing number of trolleybuses. Maximum number of trolleybuses was observed during 1991 and 1992 (40 and 42 respectively), in these two years 16 new ЗиУ-9 were acquired specially for a new line to Almazna.

Trolleybus service was suspended 11 September 2008