For the first time in eight years, Kyiv is discussing a significant increase in public transport fares. The Kyiv City State Administration (KCSA) has proposed introducing new tariffs starting July 15, although a final decision has not yet been made. The initiative has sparked a heated reaction: trade unions are demanding a phased transition, while residents of the capital are actively opposing the sharp price jump.
New figures: from 8 to 30 hryvnias
On May 18, the KCSA presented a project that radically changes the approach to paying for trips. According to the proposal, the cost of a single ticket will rise to 30 hryvnias. For those who prefer to plan their expenses, a monthly pass will cost 1,088 hryvnias, and an unlimited pass will cost 4,875 hryvnias.
The administration explains the necessity of these steps by stating that the current fare in Kyiv is one of the lowest among major Ukrainian cities, despite the constant rise in the cost of transportation. Department experts calculated that the economically justified fare for 2026 should be 64.60 hryvnias for a metro ride and 44.14 hryvnias for surface transport. For comparison: today a ticket costs only 8 hryvnias. The last time tariffs were reviewed was back in 2018.
Public resonance and the position of trade unions
From May 18 to June 1, public discussions were held on the official Kyiv portal, in which more than 1,300 users participated. Currently, the city council is processing the received opinions.
On June 18, the Kyiv City Council of Trade Unions appealed to the KCSA with an initiative to postpone the implementation of new tariffs for six months. During this time, they propose developing a mechanism to compensate transportation expenses for low-income employees in the budget sector.
Trade unions are proposing a compromise option: in the first stage, raise the price to 20 hryvnias for a single trip. This calculation is based on the growth of economic indicators over the last 8 years, in particular, the increase in the minimum wage by 2.4 times — from 3,720 hryvnias in 2018 to 8,647 hryvnias in 2026.
The trade union emphasized that teachers, medical workers, and cultural workers are currently in a critical situation. Due to inflation and the realities of war, they physically cannot afford the tariffs proposed by the KCSA.
Government reaction and the fate of petitions
The city council confirmed that the trade union initiative is under consideration. The KCSA reported that they are studying the possibility of implementing the proposal, evaluating its impact on the city budget and the consequences for transport enterprises.
Plans to raise tariffs have caused a wave of indignation among Kyiv residents. Six petitions were registered on the Kyiv City Council website demanding that fares not be raised or that the increase be gradual. The first of them gathered the necessary votes in less than a day, however, the KCSA did not support it.
In response, the department cited a significant increase in the cost of transportation: it is necessary to raise workers' wages, and prices for energy carriers, materials, and services are also rising. At the same time, the authorities assured that transportation for preferential categories of citizens will be carried out at the expense of the city budget.
Rise in fines and impact on private operators
In the event that new tariffs are approved, the fine for fare evasion will also increase. It equals 20 times the cost of a ticket. If the price rises to 30 hryvnias, the fine will amount to 600 hryvnias.
Ihor Moiseenko, head of the Public Union "Association of Carriers of Kyiv and Kyiv Region," assured that the rise in municipal transport tariffs would not affect prices in private marshrutkas (minibuses).
