Simplify Your Life – Buy a Card

It’s no secret that Kyiv is in need of urbanisation. The existing system of payment for things like city transportation is out-of-date and has many disadvantages. This is something that our Verkhovna Rada has also acknowledged and on 17 January 2017, a law covering the introduction of electronic tickets for public transport was adopted.

The E-ticket is a plastic card that can be charged for a certain number of trips, not unlike the metro cards we use today. These new tickets can be used for all transport – other than route taxis (or the well-known ‘marshrutka’) and the metro. It is very simple to use: just apply the card to the special validator.

At the moment, the system is in test mode, as validators are being installed on many routes. The total number of these devices will be 1 500 across Kyiv, and soon, validators will provide a contactless reading on NFC technologies (for smartphones or smartwatches) and EMV (bankcards).  The last is promised to be installed by the end of March 2019.

If you are a tourist and don’t need or want to buy the plastic card, then you can buy a one-time paper voucher with a QR-code. These vouchers will be sold from iBoxes, which are to be installed at bus stops all over the city. You’ll also be able to buy them at bank terminals, “Soyuzdruk” kiosks, and T-kiosks. If you’re wondering how the fare control will be carried out, special readers are included in this system.

This innovation is going to simplify not only the lives of Kyiv citizens, but will also make our transport fares more transparent. Thanks to e-tickets, the city will be able to receive detailed statistics on the use of transport, and in case of any problems respond adequately and promptly.