Politics
Moscow City Duma Transport Subsidy Bill Changes Pass Prices for City Residents
The measure revises monthly public transport pass rates and affects commuters who rely on the metro and buses for work and school trips.
How we reported this
The Moscow City Duma approved a bill on 7 July that revises the structure of monthly public transport subsidies. The legislation applies to passes covering the Moscow Metro and surface routes operated by Mosgortrans. It alters the share of costs covered by the city budget for residents holding standard and discounted cards.
City officials completed the latest review of the 2026 transport budget in late June. The review followed routine adjustments to fare revenue projections prepared by the Department of Transport. The bill now moves the subsidy calculation from a fixed percentage to a tiered model based on pass type and user category.
Commuters who travel daily from districts such as Maryino or Mitino to central offices will calculate new monthly outlays after the changes take effect. Families with school-age children who use discounted youth passes will also recalculate their transport budgets. The legislation states that the city will maintain full coverage for pensioner passes while adjusting the general adult rate.
Budget Figures and Resident Examples
The 2026 city budget allocates 187 billion rubles to public transport operations, according to the approved spending plan released in December 2025. Under the new subsidy formula, adult monthly passes will draw 12 percent less from that allocation than in 2025. Local advocates note that households spending more than 15 percent of income on transport will see the largest shift in net costs.
Implementation begins on 1 September. The Department of Transport will update card readers and issue revised pass prices through existing sales points at metro stations. Residents can review updated rates on the official Mosgortrans website after 15 August.