Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan’s Transport Ministry has commented on a proposal to raise public transport fares in Tashkent, stressing that no final decision has yet been made.
Under the draft submitted for public discussion, the cost of a single trip paid electronically could increase from 1,700 to 2,500 soums from 1 October. The cash fare is proposed to remain at 3,000 soums, while the fee for transporting baggage would be set at 4,000 soums. The amounts include VAT.
The draft also provides for new fare plans for regular passengers, as well as separate discounted and free fares for transfers between different types of public transport within one hour when using transport cards.
The Transport Ministry stressed that changes to fares directly affect people’s daily expenses, and therefore fare policy should be considered alongside the quality of transport services.
According to the ministry, Tashkent’s public transport system carries around 2.5 million passengers every day. In recent years, the metro network has been expanded and integrated with surface transport, while transport infrastructure has been modernised.
The number of vehicles in service has nearly doubled during this period, with the bus fleet approaching 1,900 units. The average interval between buses has been reduced from 30 to 15 minutes. At the same time, the route network continues to expand in line with the development of new residential areas and territories around the capital.
The ministry noted that purchasing new vehicles alone does not resolve all the challenges. It is also necessary to ensure that vehicles operate on routes every day and remain in good working condition. Operating costs include salaries for drivers, train operators and technical specialists, fuel and electricity expenses, the purchase of spare parts and tyres, maintenance and repairs, depot and charging infrastructure costs, interior cleaning, as well as the operation of dispatch, navigation and electronic payment systems.
“The current fare covers only part of these expenses. The main burden of financing public transport still falls on the state budget,” the Transport Ministry said.
If fares are revised, the ministry believes it is necessary to establish specific requirements for transport operators. These include compliance with service regularity and scheduled intervals, proper technical condition and cleanliness of vehicles, passenger safety, improved service standards and further expansion of the route network.
The draft decision of the Tashkent City Council of People’s Deputies is open for public discussion until 19 September. Citizens can submit proposals and comments through the portal for discussing draft legal acts.
All submitted proposals will be considered when the final decision is prepared. No decision to raise fares has been made before the public discussion is completed.
