Yerevan Mayor orders phased introduction of unified transport system
YEREVAN, January 27. /ARKA/. Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan has emphasized the need to find the "best option for the phased introduction of the unified transport system."
During a meeting on Monday, he ruled out abandoning the implementation of the system in the capital. "It would have been easier for us to set the ticket price at 150 drams with no benefits. But that wouldhave been wrong; it wouldn't have been a unified ticket system and wouldn't have allowed us to purchase 250 electric vehicles (buses) in the future," Avinyan said.
He highlighted the significant efforts made recently to ensure that Yerevan has a stable and high-quality transport system.
At the same time, Avinyan instructed that the best possible option for the phased implementation of the unified transport system be found. "As for pricing, we should be as flexible as possible. Ultimately, our goal is not for people to pay more; it's to ensure the transport system doesn't deteriorate as it did in the past," he said.
The mayor noted that implementing the transport system is a complex process. "It's not just about purchasing vehicles and training drivers. We had to overcome many challenges, and a tremendous amount of work was done to achieve this," he added.
According to Avinyan, the shift to cashless payments in public transport "has led to numerous issues."
"For instance, eliminating cash payments resulted in serious consequences, as drivers simply refused to work since cash was like a 'drug' to the system. The drivers are not to blame. Now, we offer them good wages, health insurance, overtime pay, and compensation during downtime—humane conditions so that drivers can do their jobs," the mayor said.
About Unified Ticket System
Since January 1, 2025, a unified ticket system has been in operation in Yerevan, eliminating cash payments on buses, trolleybuses, and the metro. Several payment methods are now available: paper single-use tickets with a QR code (from TelCell terminals), a mobile app, permanent transport cards, and bank cards.
Starting February 1, with the full launch of the unified ticket system, several pricing plans will be available:
- 280 (300) drams for the "90-minute" package (3 trips)
- 880 (900) drams for the daily package (8 trips)
- 4800 (5000) drams for the 7-day package (30 trips)
- 8800 (9000) drams for the 30-day package (unlimited trips)
- 23,600 (24,000) drams for the 90-day package (unlimited trips)
- 88,800 (90,000) drams for the 365-day package (unlimited trips)
- 2200 (2100) drams for the "10 trips" package (multiple uses)
- 480 (500) drams for a single trip to Zvartnots Airport
The first price refers to online tickets, while the figure in parentheses is the fare for a physical travel card. With any of these packages, passengers will be able to use all types of public transport—buses, metro, and trolleybuses.
