Why Ukraine’s fare system needs to be rebooted
6 January 15:35
In Ukraine, at the end of 2025, about 10.7 million people were entitled to discounted passenger transportation. This is almost a quarter of the country’s pre-war population and an indicator that raises the issue of financing and accounting for benefits. This was reported by the Ministry of Social Policy in response to a request from Ukrinform , "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
Who is entitled to benefits
According to the Ministry of Social Policy, the privileged categories include pensioners, people with disabilities, military veterans, and other socially vulnerable groups. In total, there are 10.7 million citizens who are legally entitled to free or reduced fares.
Who pays
Since 2017, financing compensation to carriers for reduced fares has been the responsibility of local budgets. According to Inna Solodka, Deputy Minister of Social Policy, it is the communities that should cover these costs, but in practice this often becomes a source of conflict between carriers and local authorities.
Lack of accounting
One of the key problems is the lack of an automated fare collection system in Ukraine. As a result, the government does not have accurate data on the number of privileged trips, and carriers do not have a transparent mechanism for reimbursement.
What does the government propose?
In June 2025, the Verkhovna Rada adopted in the first reading the draft law No. 5651-2, which should regulate the procedure and amount of travel benefits. The key element of the reform is the introduction of the ASOP and an electronic ticket, which is planned to be issued to beneficiaries free of charge. The relevant parliamentary committee is currently preparing the document for the second reading.
At the same time, as of January 1, 2026, Ukraine has already introduced a single ticket form for all types of public transport. The government expects that the next step will be digital travel accounting, which will relieve tension between the state, local budgets, and carriers and make the system of privileged travel more transparent and manageable.
