The government must present a program of free travel on Kyiv's surface public transport and provide the capital with a reserve of buses. Vladimir Zelensky gave this instruction on November 8 after Russian attacks complicated transport operations and movement across the Dnieper. Free travel has not yet been introduced.
The president announced the initiative on his official Telegram channel following a conference call. The government's task is to ensure uninterrupted and affordable surface transport operations during metro disruptions or bridge problems.
The prime minister, the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, and the interior minister have already presented options for backup transport schemes for the capital. They are currently determining the required number of vehicles and working on changes to traffic in certain parts of Kyiv.
The bus reserve should help maintain connections between city districts when regular routes cannot operate. The instruction for free transportation concerns surface public transport; it does not imply automatic fare cancellation in the metro or private minibuses.
The initiative emerged amid damage to transport and energy infrastructure. After the Russian attack on November 7, the Northern Bridge in Kyiv was closed in both directions. Road surface, trolleybus contact network, and a power line were damaged. Routes of public transport crossing the bridge were temporarily changed, according to "Suspilne Kyiv".
Meanwhile, traffic on Kyiv’s Northern Bridge, which was closed following the Russian attack on November 7, is being partially restored. As Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced on November 8, a technical inspection allowed the bridge to reopen with temporary restrictions. From the left bank to the right bank, one lane will be available exclusively for passenger transport. In the opposite direction, two lanes will be available for passenger transport and cars. The partial reopening therefore does not allow cars to cross the bridge in both directions.
Kyivpastrans also announced that buses on routes 21, 73, 101, 29TR, 30TR, 31TR and 47TR had resumed their regular routes. These services had been temporarily diverted following the damage to the bridge.
The launch date of free travel, list of routes, and passenger conditions have not yet been announced. The program duration, funding sources, and compensation mechanism for carriers are also undisclosed. Whether free travel will be permanent or only during transport disruptions remains to be defined in the program itself.
Based on materials from: Vladimir Zelensky's official statement, "Interfax-Ukraine", "Suspilne Kyiv".
Photo: City bus in Kyiv, August 21, 2011. Archive photo: Aktron / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0.
