Politics
Moscow City Council Approves Phased Metro Fare Adjustments from September 2026
Moscow residents who commute by metro and surface transport will see the first of three scheduled fare increases take effect in September.
How we reported this
Moscow City Council passed Resolution 47-2026 on July 7, raising base metro fares by 8 percent in September 2026, followed by further adjustments in 2027 and 2028. The measure covers the Moscow Metro system and Mosgortrans bus routes serving the city’s 12.5 million residents. Council records show the vote passed 28 to 12.
The decision follows the city’s 2025 transport budget paper, which projected a 22 billion rouble shortfall in operating funds for 2026. Officials tied the shortfall to higher electricity costs and rolling stock maintenance contracts signed in 2024. The resolution states that fares will rise from the current 55 roubles per ride to 59 roubles in September, then to 63 roubles in January 2027.
When the changes reach daily commutes
Single-ride tickets, monthly passes and Troika card top-ups will all increase on the same schedule. A worker who buys a 60-ride monthly pass today will pay an extra 240 roubles starting in September. Families using student discounts will see the same percentage rise applied to their cards beginning the new school year. The legislation exempts only pensioner travel cards already funded through the city’s social payments program.
City budget documents list 15 billion roubles in planned track repairs and new train deliveries that the extra revenue is expected to support. Transport department data from 2025 recorded average daily ridership of 8.4 million passengers across the metro network. The council resolution projects that 70 percent of the additional collections will come from regular commuters rather than tourists.
Next steps after the vote
The Moscow Department of Transport must publish updated fare tables by August 15 and complete software updates for ticket machines before the September rollout. Monthly pass renewals processed after 1 September will reflect the new rates automatically. Residents can still purchase current-rate cards until 31 August at station kiosks and online portals.
Further adjustments scheduled for 2027 and 2028 will be reviewed in the council’s annual budget sessions next spring, according to the text of the resolution. No additional public hearings are required before those later stages.