What changed

From March 11 to April 11, free transfers on public transport in Lviv have been temporarily suspended. The city council adopted the decision to provide a financial cushion for carriers without directly raising fares for passengers.

Why it was done

The Commission on Technogenic and Environmental Safety and Emergency Situations noted that fuel costs have risen by approximately 40% since the last tariff review. The city hall chose temporary changes to the e‑ticket system as a quick mechanism to compensate carriers' expenses — alternatives that would be felt directly by residents were more painful (a prolonged fare increase).

Who it affects — briefly

Key points of the decision:

• free transfers are suspended for one month (March 11–April 11);
• by March 16, communities must sign agreements to compensate travel for their concession-holders; if agreements are not reached — concession cards of residents from other communities will be deactivated (savings of about UAH 12 million per month);
• applications for issuing LeoKart concession cards will temporarily not be accepted for two categories: pensioners who receive a survivor's pension due to the loss of a breadwinner, and military pensioners by length of service; other concession-holders will use transport as before.

Figures to remember

The city council emphasizes: around 450,000 passengers use public transport in Lviv daily, of whom approximately 200,000 are concession-holders (almost 40% of trips are paid from the budget). According to the department's estimates, the city's measures will attract over UAH 20 million per month to support transport operations.

"These steps will attract over UAH 20 million per month to ensure the uninterrupted operation of transport"

— Oleg Zabarilo, Director of the Department of City Mobility and Street Infrastructure

"The decision will help preserve the current fare level, because a fare increase would have been too severe a blow for residents"

— Andriy Moskalenko, First Deputy Mayor

Consequences and risks

The decision is tactical: it provides time and money for operators but does not eliminate the structural problem. Advantages and risks:

• Advantages: quick replenishment of carriers' funds, avoidance of an immediate fare increase for residents;
• Risks: social tension among some concession-holders and residents of neighboring communities who may lose access to free travel if their communities do not sign agreements; the possibility that, with prolonged fuel price growth, the issue of raising fares will have to be revisited.

What next

This decision is a temporary tool to manage the shock increase in costs. Next steps depend on two variables: fuel price dynamics and the readiness of neighboring communities to compensate their concession-holders. If the fuel market stabilizes, the city council will have time for more comprehensive solutions; if not — the issue of fares and longer-term optimization of concession expenses will return to the agenda.

Now the ball is with the partners: the local budget has given itself a month to maneuver — but maintaining social balance will require clear contracts and transparent control over the use of additional funds.