Minsk Increases Public Transport Tariffs Amid Rising Costs

7 April 2025, the Minsk authorities have published data on the cost of transportation in the city’s public transport. According to the information presented at the press conference by Olga Leoshko, the deputy head of the committee on economy of the Minsk City Executive Committee, the current cost of one trip on surface transport has reached 3 rubles, and in the metro – 2.32 rubles. These figures are the result of increased expenses of transport enterprises over the last three years.

Dynamics of Cost Changes

If compared with March 2022, at that time the cost of transportation on surface transport was 2.31 rubles, and in the metro – 1.91 rubles. The increase in expenses is explained by higher costs for electricity, fuel, and other resources necessary for the operation of the transport system. Moreover, even after the recent tariff increase, passengers pay less than half of the actual cost of a trip from their own pockets, since a significant portion of the expenses is subsidized by the city budget.

New Tariffs and Their Justification

From 10 April, the new tariffs come into effect. The cost of travel on surface transport in Minsk is now as follows:

• 95 kopecks when purchasing a ticket in advance;
• 1 ruble when buying from the driver.

For the metro, the tariff is set at 1 ruble per token. Prices for travel passes have also been revised:

• The 10-day pass increased from 17.93 to 20.01 rubles,
• The 15-day pass – from 26.89 to 30.01 rubles,
• The monthly pass – from 51.05 to 56.97 rubles.

Olga Leoshko noted that an increase of 6 rubles in the cost of a unified travel pass is not a significant change, considering that tariffs have not been adjusted since 2022. The rise in cost is directly linked to the increase in operating expenses of transport vehicles, as well as the opening of the third metro line, which led to a revision of the calculations.

Impact of the Third Metro Line

The launch of the third line in the Minsk metro was an important event for the city’s transport system. In addition to expanding the route network, this step influenced the revision of the tariff policy. The cost of a metro trip, previously estimated at 1.91 rubles, increased to 2.32 rubles. Despite the increase in expenses, passengers still pay a considerably lower amount than the actual costs, thanks to subsidies from the city budget.

Prospects and Passenger Expectations

For many residents of Minsk, the issue of public transport affordability remains important. An increase in tariffs by 10 kopecks may seem insignificant at first glance; however, the cumulative changes along with the rise in the cost of travel passes require attention. The authorities emphasize that the city budget continues to subsidize the transportation, which helps keep the transport accessible to a wide range of the population.

Conclusion

The new ratio of tariffs to the actual cost of a trip in Minsk’s public transport reflects the overall trend of rising operating expenses in the transport system. The introduction of the third metro line and the tariff increase are important measures aimed at ensuring the stability and quality of services. Despite the rise in expenses, subsidies allow passengers to pay only part of the costs, which helps maintain the affordability of city transport for most residents of the capital. This information serves as an important guideline for passengers and experts in the field of transport, demonstrating how changes in infrastructure and economic policy affect the daily expenses of city residents.