In Tashkent, fares for buses and the metro may increase — the Ministry of Transport explained the reasons

In Tashkent, the cost of travel on buses and the metro may increase — the Ministry of Transport explained the reasons

The Tashkent City Kengash of People's Deputies has submitted a draft revision of public transport fares for public discussion. The Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan explained this project in detail.

According to the document, starting from October 1, it is proposed to establish the following fares:

a single trip by bus or metro with electronic payment — 2,500 soums instead of the current 1,700 soums;

cash payment — 3,000 soums, unchanged;

luggage transportation — 4,000 soums.

In addition, the project provides for passes for regular passengers, as well as separate fares for transfers between different types of public transport.

The Ministry emphasized that any change in the cost of travel directly affects the daily expenses of the population. Therefore, it is important to openly explain what constitutes the costs of operating public transport and what services a passenger should receive for this fee.

Currently, the capital's public transport serves about 2.5 million passengers daily. As Tashkent expands and the population grows, the need for regular and convenient transport services increases.

As a result of the reforms, the number of rolling stock has almost doubled, and the number of buses has approached 1,900. The average headway has been reduced from 30 to 15 minutes. The route network is also expanding to include new residential areas and territories adjacent to the capital.

"However, purchasing rolling stock is not enough. It is necessary to ensure its daily deployment on routes and its technical soundness. Expenses include the salaries of train drivers, bus drivers, and technical staff, costs for fuel and electricity, spare parts and tires, maintenance and repair of rolling stock, maintenance of depots and charging infrastructure, cleaning of interiors, as well as the operation of dispatch, navigation, and electronic payment systems," the agency's explanation says.

According to the ministry, the current fare covers only a part of these expenses. The main burden of financing transportation still falls on the state budget.

The agency noted that a possible change in the fare should be considered simultaneously with specific requirements for carriers. This refers to the regularity of trips, compliance with established headways, the technical condition and cleanliness of vehicles, passenger safety, service culture, and further expansion of the route network.

Citizens can review the draft document on fare changes until September 19 and submit their proposals and comments. All received submissions will be considered during the preparation of the final decision.