UrBC, Yekaterinburg, February 2, 2017. Yekaterinburg public transport fare rose from 26 RUR to 28 RUR per single trip on February 1, 2017; the decision was made by Sverdlovsk Region Regional Energy Committee on January 13.

Yekaterinburg authorities also adjusted the cost of electronic monthly passes (the so-called Ekarta).

The price increase will be felt most keenly by people on social welfare benefits, as their monthly pass will now cost as much as 1,000 RUR instead of the usual 426 RUR. At the same time, if they buy a ten-trip pass, this will cost 200 RUR (only 10 RUR more than before), and a 40-trip pass can be had for 443 RUR.

‘The case of subsidized passengers is a difficult one. In most of our constituencies, these are the federal constituency’s budget funds that are used to compensate the costs to hauler companies; Yekaterinburg, however, is a different story. So a way was found to allow passengers on welfare benefits to buy their 40-trip passes within the money limit provided from the federal budget funds. Those who need to travel around more can invest in a monthly pass,’ says Yekaterinburg Council press secretary Denis Sukhorukov.

Ekarta (good for buses, trams, trolleys, and the subway) now costs 3,000 RUR a month for businesses, 2,800 RUR for private customers, 1,700 RUR for students, and 1,000 RUR for schoolchildren.