Kyiv mayor calls announced public transport fare increase in Kyiv forced step

The increase in public transport fares in Kyiv is a forced step, and even after the new tariffs are introduced, the cost of rides will remain half the actual cost, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.

"Public transport fares in Kyiv remain the lowest in Ukraine. And they have not been revised since 2018, unlike in other major Ukrainian cities, where fares are higher than in the capital. Rising fuel prices, electricity costs, consumables, logistics expenses, and the need to restore transport infrastructure after enemy shelling are forcing city authorities to bring fares closer to economically justified levels," Klitschko said in an interview with Kyiv TV channel.

He said that starting July 15, the proposed fare for a single ride on municipal public transport in Kyiv will be UAH 30, while the actual cost of a metro ride remains above UAH 60 and around UAH 50 for surface transport.

"Today we subsidize the transport sector with UAH 12 billion. Those funds could have been directed toward other areas. The state defines categories of passengers eligible for benefits. We provide them with free rides, and the state should compensate local budgets for these services. But the state has not done this for many years. These expenses therefore fall on the shoulders of the city. Around 1.1 million passengers in the capital use fare benefits," Klitschko said.

At the same time, he said that a discount system for travel passes will remain in place for passengers who regularly use city transport, and the cost of one ride, as before, will depend on the number of rides purchased.

For example, if a passenger purchases 50 rides, each trip will cost UAH 25. Preferential conditions will also remain for university and school students: university students will pay 50% of the cost of a monthly pass, while school students during summer vacation will pay 25%, and during the school year they will travel free of charge.

The capital also plans to introduce a transfer ticket costing UAH 60, allowing passengers to transfer between the metro and surface transport within 90 minutes without restrictions.

Special unlimited travel passes for 24, 48, and 72 hours are planned for visitors to the city.

According to Klitschko, rides purchased on transport cards before July 14 will remain valid only through September 14.

As reported, the Kyiv City State Administration announced plans on May 18 to update fares for municipal public transport.

In particular, the cost of a single ride will depend on the number of rides purchased on a transport card. The tariff will amount to UAH 30 for 1-9 rides; UAH 28.90 for 10-19 rides; UAH 27.80 for 20-29 rides; UAH 26.60 for 30-39 rides; UAH 25.50 for 40-49 rides; and UAH 25 for 50 rides.

Monthly passes are also planned, under which the cost of one ride will amount to approximately UAH 23.3-23.6.

At the end of 2021, Klitschko assured residents that public transport fares would not be increased until the end of the heating season.

In 2023, city authorities stated that they did not intend to raise public transport fares until the end of the war.

In September 2025, Klitschko said that despite public transport in Kyiv being subsidized, the city was seeking opportunities to avoid increasing fares.

As of now, three petitions on the Kyiv City Council website calling for the suspension of fare increases for municipal public transport until the end of martial law have gathered the number of signatures required for consideration.