Suburban fares are currently significantly lower than the economically justified level, so there is a need to raise them. This is stated in the response of Ukrzaliznytsia to an information request Komersant ukrainskyi
.
At the same time, the railway carrier claims that ticket prices will not change until the end of martial law in Ukraine.
“To prevent social tension in society during the period of martial law, Ukrzaliznytsia did not initiate an increase in tariffs for suburban rail transport,” UZ said.
They stressed that suburban passenger transport in Ukraine is socially oriented and provides transportation of passengers to places of work and study, for medical treatment, to summer cottages, etc.
The last time Ukrzaliznytsia raised ticket prices was in December last year, but then the cost of tickets changed only on international routes – some by 3% to 72% depending on the direction.
“Losses from passenger traffic amount to more than UAH 12 billion. The change in tariffs allows Ukrzaliznytsia to keep the cost of tickets for domestic travel at the current level, as well as to continue the modernisation of rolling stock, which is actively continuing even during the large-scale invasion,” Ukrzaliznytsia said.
In general, over the past three years, Ukrzaliznytsia’s losses from passenger transportation have tripled its profits and amounted to almost UAH 48 billion.
Another problematic issue for Ukrzaliznytsia for several years in a row has been the reimbursement of compensation from local budgets for the transportation of privileged categories of citizens by suburban trains.
As you know, losses incurred by public railways from their use are reimbursed by the state or local budgets, depending on which authority decided to introduce the privileges.
Author – Aliona Kaplina