The price of a single metro ride has gone up to 40 rubles. Because of this, naturally, everyone remembered the brazen lies of Likusutov, the transport chief in Sobyanin’s City Hall (referring to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin): The Moscow authorities do not plan to raise the price of a single metro ticket in 2014, Maxim Liksutov, the capital’s deputy mayor and head of the Department of Transport and Road Infrastructure Development, told reporters. ... “I can say that in 2014 the single-ride ticket will also remain unchanged. In other words, those who are used to using single-ride tickets will be able to buy a metro ticket for 28 rubles this year and next year as well,” Liksutov said. http://www.vedomosti.ru/politics/news/9189481/vlasti_moskvy_ne_planiruyut_povyshat_stoimost_bileta_na_1 In 2014, the price of a single metro ride ticket will not change. This was stated at a meeting with journalists by Maxim Liksutov, deputy mayor for transport issues. http://www.rg.ru/2013/02/16/metro-site-anons.html Even without getting into the substance of the price hike—its reasons, whether it is justified, the efficiency of the metro system, and the transparency of spending—the question arises: who the hell forced you to say that? ***A deputy mayor, a man holding a political office, is brazenly and stupidly lying to millions of city residents. That alone is unquestionably grounds for resignation. If he wasn’t lying and circumstances somehow changed all of a sudden, then let him explain what changed. We are not seeing any force majeure, and if this is not brazen lying, then it means there is a complete absence of any metro development strategy. In that case, Sobyanin should resign too. But that’s not even the main reason I decided to write this post. It’s disgusting to watch Sobyanin’s propagandists now start feeding us nonsense: this isn’t really a price increase at all; nobody bought 1–2 ride tickets anyway. the cost of one ride on the Troika electronic card hasn’t changed, so everything is fine. They’re already lying on TV, saying that 1–2 ride tickets account for only 5% of all trips on the Moscow metro. They’re trying to convince us that very few people use 1–2 ride tickets, only visitors. And that basically everyone else is trendy and uses electronic cards. Go here and take a look at the hellish-looking 2012 report of the Moscow Metro.
Stop lying, Sobyanin propaganda machine. 18% is the share of trips made using 1–2 ride tickets in the overall transport mix. And the report clearly says that the share of such trips is growing. At the same time, it is important to understand that 18% is out of all trips. If we exclude free and nearly free rides (25.2% in 2012), we see that among passenger-paid trips, 1–2 ride tickets account for 24%. Still doubtful? Here is a link to a Liksutov press release with even bigger numbers: Tickets for one and two rides will remain on sale until the end of 2013, Moscow’s Department of Transport said in a press release. Statistical surveys showed that tickets for one and two rides are still used by about one-third of Moscow Metro passengers (33.5%), so “a decision was made to extend the transition period until the end of 2013,” the agency noted. http://www.gazeta.ru/social/news/2013/06/18/n_2980633.shtml That is, one-third of all tickets. And the much-talked-about Troika card, on which prices were not increased, accounted for 1.2% of sales in 2012, as we can see. I don’t think that figure has grown dramatically. Thus, the statement that “the price of a single ride on the Moscow metro has risen to 40 rubles” is completely fair and accurate. After all, it will affect between 24% and 33% of the 1.64 billion paid trips.
So here is some advice for both Sobyanin and Liksutov: don’t lie and don’t wriggle out of it. If you want to raise metro fares, then say so plainly to Muscovites: we want to raise metro fares, and here are our explanations and calculations. Because we see no calculations or explanations at all; instead, they are trying to replace them with PR contortions along the lines of “this isn’t really a price increase, it’s nothing.” PS Once again: I’m a big fan of cashless payments, and I think cash should be phased out. The Troika card should be rolled out, and it is great. It should even be pushed aggressively. Just don’t lie nonstop. PPS For the sake of objectivity, here is the Department of Transport press release with which it is “responding to criticism”: Incorrect information about the cost of single-ride tickets ** 13.12.2013 Media reports currently in circulation contain incorrect information about the cost of single-ride TAT tickets (tickets for surface public transport in Moscow). Thus, in 2014 the cost of one ride on surface urban passenger transport will be 30 rubles, and a 2-ride ticket will cost 60 rubles. We remind you that the forced fare increase will not affect those who use “long” tickets, as well as Troika transport cards. For example, the cost of one ride using a 60-ride Unified ticket will remain 20 rubles, while on the Troika card it will be 28 rubles for the metro and 26 rubles for surface transport. Inflation indexation will affect only paper tickets for 1 and 2 rides. Reducing the circulation of single-use paper tickets will help reduce queues, save budget funds on printing ticket stock, and preserve natural resources.** http://dt.mos.ru/presscenter/news_department/detail/910186.html Saving budget funds and preserving natural resources. The words “40 rubles” are nowhere to be found. Let me remind you that the Department of Transport and the mayor’s office spend hundreds of millions of rubles on “promoting innovations.” The best way to save budget funds would be to cut the idiots who write press releases like this.