Kyiv trade unions demand transport fare hike be postponed by six months

The Kyiv City Trade Union Council is insisting on a delay of at least six months to planned fare increases in the capital.

The trade union council itself reported this in an exclusive comment to RBC-Ukraine.

On June 18, the trade unions adopted a corresponding resolution and sent it to the Kyiv City State Administration (KCSA). The issue of fares had been under discussion for more than a month with the participation of trade unions, KCSA representatives, and municipal enterprises.

The trade unions proposed that city authorities use the six-month delay to develop an effective mechanism for compensating transport costs for low-income workers — in particular, those employed in the public sector under municipal and state ownership.

“The 20 hryvnia fare is calculated on the basis of the 2.4-fold increase in the minimum wage since 2018 — the last year fares were revised — from 3,720 hryvnias to 8,647 hryvnias in 2026,” the trade unions explained.

The trade unions expressed particular concern about public sector workers — teachers, medical staff, and cultural workers. In their assessment, these categories have some of the lowest wages in the capital and are physically unable to afford the proposed fares amid the war and inflation.

The trade unions also reminded the authorities of their procedural obligations: under the territorial agreement for 2021–2023, the validity of which has been extended for the duration of martial law, the parties are required to jointly discuss such changes.

“City authorities are obliged to consider the proposals submitted by the trade unions and adopt a corresponding decision (with justification or a reasoned refusal) within 30 calendar days,” the trade unions explained.

The KCSA told RBC-Ukraine in a comment that it is currently reviewing the trade unions’ proposal.

“At present, the possibility of implementing the said proposal is being studied, along with an assessment of its impact on the budget of the city of Kyiv and the consequences for municipal transport enterprises, taking into account the need to ensure the continuous, uninterrupted operation of public transport,” the KCSA said.

A final decision on introducing new fares has not yet been made. Earlier, on May 18, the KCSA published a draft proposal to raise public transport fares: experts proposed increasing the single-ride fare to 30 hryvnias, the monthly pass to 1,088 hryvnias, and the unlimited monthly pass to 4,875 hryvnias. If approved, the new prices were to take effect as early as July 15. Tickets currently cost 8 hryvnias.

The KCSA also noted that the economically justified fare for 2026 amounts to 64.60 hryvnias per metro ride and 44.14 hryvnias for surface transport. Notably, in 2021 the KCSA had already approached the trade unions with a proposal to set the fare at 18 hryvnias, but that letter was subsequently withdrawn.