From 1 September bus fares are paid on boarding: without payment a passenger counts as fare-dodging

From 1 September 2026, on city bus routes equipped with an automated payment system, the fare is paid upon boarding. This is prescribed by Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 276 of 3 June 2026.

You can pay with a transport card via the validator or contactlessly — with a bank card or smartphone (NFC, QR code, biometrics, BLE, UWB). Beneficiaries confirm their right to free or discounted travel by tapping a social or transport card on the validator.

A passenger who has not paid on entry is considered a fare-dodger — the fine is 0.1 BRV (44,000 soums from 1 September).

The resolution also broadened the notion of city routes: lines extending 5–12 km beyond the city limits are now included. In parallel, a unified integrated payment system for the capital's transport and suburban trains with common tariffs is being launched.

What this means in practice: when boarding a bus, tap your card or phone on the validator right away — "I'll pay on the way out" no longer works, and an inspector may issue a fine right on board.

Photo: Jamshid Nurkulov, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)