First, a steel wire (1) is continuously dipping in molten copper or molten copper alloy so that copper or copper alloy builds up and solidifies on the peripheral surface of said steel wire, thereby obtaining an initial copper-clad steel wire (2). Then, the initial copper-­clad steel wire (2) is subjected a first cycle of hot rolling by a caliber roll. The hot-rolled wire is dipped in molten copper or molten copper-alloy (21) at least once so that copper or copper alloy builds up and solidifies thereon, thereby obtaining a final copper-­clad steel wire. The final copper-clad steel wire is hot-rolled at a temperature of 750 to 850°C and with a rolling ratio of 10 to 40%. Then, the hot-rolled wire is cold-rolled with a reduction of area of 20% or more. Thus, 75 to 90% of the cross sectional area of the obtained copper-clad steel trolley wire is occupied by the copper or copper alloy covering layer (3) so that the electric conductivity of the trolley wire is very high as 80% IACS or more. Moreover, the cast rod (2) is hot-rolled so that the core (1) and the covering layer (3) are metallurgically bonded to each other, thereby obtaining a copper-clad steel trolley wire whose core and covering layer are firmly bonded. Also, the hot-­rolled wire is cold-rolled so that the trolley wire with a high strength is obtained.