Kyiv residents are urged to pay for the metro during emergency alerts
A debate has erupted on Kyiv’s social media platforms over whether people should pay for subway rides during air raid alerts. Some residents believe that if a person is traveling for personal reasons—rather than simply taking shelter at a station—they should pay. At the same time, other Kyiv residents point out that after fares increased from 8 to 30 hryvnias, such a trip has become a much greater financial burden on the family budget.
A post calling for people to pay for metro rides during air raid alerts is being discussed on Kyiv’s social media. The authors of the post draw a distinction between two situations. If a person enters the metro solely to use the station as a shelter, they should not have to pay for the ride. However, if a passenger continues traveling through the city to run errands, the fare, according to the post’s authors, must be paid.
However, not all Kyiv residents agreed with this position. In the comments, people focused primarily on the new fare. Since July 15, a ride on the Kyiv metro and surface public transportation has cost 30 hryvnias instead of 8 hryvnias. For some residents, this has been a significant price increase. Some Kyiv residents say that after the fare hike, they started walking more often to save money on transportation.
One user noted that he used to pay for rides during air raid alerts when the fare was 8 hryvnias. After the fare increase, his approach changed. In other words, for many passengers, the issue now is not just the fact of paying the fare, but also how much of a burden this amount has become following the sharp fare hike. A separate controversy arises in cases where a passenger has already paid for the ride but was unable to reach the desired station due to an air raid alert.
One Kyiv resident said he was traveling from “Palats Sportu” to “Kharkivska,” but an air raid alert was announced during the trip. As a result, train service was suspended, and the passenger was unable to reach his destination. “In other words, the service was paid for but not provided. And no one will refund the money either,” he wrote.
It is precisely these situations that raise questions among passengers about what exactly they are paying for when the metro is shut down due to danger. At the same time, the discussion on social media isn’t limited to air raid alerts. Kyiv residents are also mentioning the general increase in public transportation fares in the capital.
Some users are comparing the situation to Kharkiv, where public transportation remains free. Comments also highlight that for people with low incomes, regular trips costing 30 hryvnias can become a significant expense. This is especially noticeable for those who use public transportation daily to commute to work, school, or run errands. If a person makes several trips a day, monthly transportation costs can rise significantly.
Protests have already taken place in Kyiv following the fare hike. The Public Council under the Kyiv City State Administration called for the decision to raise fares to be revoked. Organizers announced the next protest against the new fares for September 3 at 9:30 a.m. outside the Kyiv City State Administration building.
Thus, the dispute over paying for the metro during emergencies has become part of a broader debate about the new fares in the capital. Some Kyiv residents believe that passengers who continue to use public transportation for essential purposes should pay for their trips. Others point to the sharp increase in fares, problems with travel during air raid alerts, and the financial burden on city residents.
In Kyiv, there is a proposal to allow metro trains to operate on certain sections during air raid alerts to ease the strain on surface transportation and reduce travel time for thousands of passengers.
On Thursday, August 27, thousands of people gathered at Kyiv metro stations during another air raid alert. In particular, a significant crowd of passengers was observed at the “Lisova” station.
