Ticket [R]evolution!

Change is afoot at KyivPasTrans, Kyiv’s passenger transport agency. Why? Because the system isn’t terribly user-friendly, and on the bus or tram it can be tricky to find a conductor, with tickets often being sold by multi-tasking drivers. However, it’s about to get a whole lot simpler! So how will we be paying for our transport, you ask, and where? And what’s going to happen to those friendly conductors?

No More Tickets

Plastic metro tokens are already being phased out (they can still be used until 30 October). However, from 1 November, the current paper bus and tram tickets will become a thing of the past. Paper tickets aren’t going to disappear completely, though, they’re just getting an upgrade with a QR code.

If you were worried about those poor conductors losing their job, don’t be: they’re not disappearing, just changing their role slightly. From now on they’ll be more like controllers, checking your tickets and cards with a handheld device. To pay for the ride, you’ll just need to get your e-ticket or Kyiv Smart Card validated.

Wait, another card?

Yep. The e-card is being superseded by the Kyiv Smart Card, which covers all public transport (sorry, marshrutkas NOT included). The elderly and people with disabilities will still get free rides. If you’ve just topped up your e-card, don’t worry, you can still transfer your rides at several major metro stations. More good news: if you happen to lose your Kyiv Smart Card, you can block it in the app or by phone and then transfer all the unused rides to a new card. And, the “buy more – pay less” rule is still active, allowing you to save up to 1.50 UAH per trip.

Comfort over Chaos

We can only hope that the change will happen smoothly and quickly, without too many queues at stations. Let’s hope that the app, validators, and QR codes all work properly, and that the convenience of the new system will justify any short-term confusion. Fingers crossed!