Starting September 1, passengers on Uzbekistan's urban bus routes will be required to pay their fare upon boarding, or they will be classified as fare evaders. This change is mandated by a government decree issued on June 3, the Ministry of Transport said in a statement.
The new rule applies to routes operating under the gross-cost contract system, rather than the traditional daily revenue target model. It aims to ensure complete and comprehensive fare collection. This follow-up comes after reports revealed that transit authorities in Tashkent fined over 50,000 fare evaders during the first four months of the year.
Passengers can pay their fare or validate their concession eligibility using terminals installed next to the bus doors. Acceptable payment methods include transit cards, bank cards, social benefits cards, smartphones, and other contactless options.
Under the new regulations, urban routes will encompass transit lines extending up to a 5 km radius from city borders, and in select cases, up to 12 km.
By September, authorities plan to introduce integrated commuter transit passes in the Tashkent region. These passes will seamlessly combine travel across urban and suburban transport networks, including commuter trains, buses, and the subway system.
To assist fleet expansion, the government has waived the vehicle recycling fee until the end of 2027 for imported Class I and Class II urban and suburban buses. The waiver applies to vehicles meeting Euro-5 standards or higher with a minimum capacity of 60 people (including the driver).
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