Kyiv's Transit Operator Strikes Record-High Deal for Trolleybuses

Questionable Trolleybus Procurement Under Scrutiny

According to Главком: Investigative journalist Yuriy Nikolov has flagged a controversial purchase by Kyivpastrans, the city’s municipal transit company, which secured trolleybuses at the steepest prices seen across Ukraine. According to his findings, the utility inked a contract worth roughly 300 million Ukrainian hryvnias for Turkish-made trolleybuses that will undergo final assembly in Ukraine. Each unit comes at about $444,000-significantly more than comparable models bought in other Ukrainian cities, such as Chernivtsi, where trolleybuses were acquired for $436,000 apiece.

To provide context, earlier trolleybus costs were notably lower:

• $395,000;
• $280,000.

The State Audit Service of Ukraine has already launched a review of this procurement. Kyivpastrans justified the elevated price by citing a market survey of industry participants, noting that the winning bidder initially offered a lower figure-but the municipal company deliberately set the tender at a higher cost.

Following the audit's initiation, Kyivpastrans revised the contract, reducing the price by 1%, equivalent to roughly 3 million hryvnias. However, the purchase was not canceled. On January 26, Kyivpastrans finalized a deal with PoliTekhnoServis LLC to supply 16 low-floor trolleybuses of the PTS T12309 model, with delivery slated no earlier than 2025. One trolleybus is due by June 30, with the remainder arriving by December 1.

Yuriy Nikolov commented on the situation, stating: 'We couldn’t find a single purchase at this price. Not one. All were cheaper.'

New Fare Model on the Horizon for Public Transit

Separately, the Kyiv City Council is planning to roll out a new fare structure for the capital’s municipal transport, under which a single ticket would cost 30 hryvnias starting July 15, 2026. A petition on the council’s website advocating for fare changes has already gathered 6,000 signatures. If implemented, Kyiv’s monthly transit pass would rank fourth among European capitals, behind only London, Amsterdam, and Stockholm in cost. City council deputy Andriy Vitrenko released calculations suggesting that a family of three could face nearly 35,000 hryvnias in extra annual expenses.

The trolleybus procurement saga raises red flags amid rising public transit fares and potential corruption risks. At the same time, the proposed fare increase could significantly strain the budgets of Kyiv residents. These developments underscore the urgent need for transparency and accountability in how public funds are spent, particularly for essential social services like mass transit.

As the city grapples with rising transit costs, recent public outcry has emerged against proposed fare increases. A significant movement has gathered thousands of signatures opposing the fare hike to 30 hryvnias, reflecting growing concerns among residents about the affordability of public transport amid other financial pressures. This context underscores the importance of scrutinizing procurement decisions like the one made by Kyivpastrans.