İstanbul, Ankara hike public transport fares for second time this year

İstanbul and Ankara municipalities have raised public transport fares amid rising costs and economic pressures in Turkey, affecting millions of commuters in the two largest cities in the country.

The İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) has implemented fare hikes ranging from 13% to 22%. This follows a previous increase in January, which saw fares rise between 18% and 28%. The new rates, decided at the Transportation Coordination Center (UKOME) meeting, are as follows:

- Full fare: 20 liras (up from 17.70 liras)

- Student fare: 9.76 liras (up from 8.64 liras)

- Social fare (teachers, seniors): 14.32 liras (up from 12.67 liras)

- Monthly full subscription: 1,569 liras (up from 1,389 liras)

- Monthly student subscription: 282.5 liras (up from 250 liras)

- Monthly social subscription: 976.3 liras (up from 864 liras)

- Single electronic ticket: 28.25 liras

- Double electronic ticket: 50.85 liras

- Triple electronic ticket: 79.1 liras

- Four-time electronic ticket: 96.05 liras

- Five-time electronic ticket: 118.6 liras

- Ten-time electronic ticket: 226 liras

Fare adjustments for older students

The İBB has revised its fare policy for students over the age of 30. Previously enjoying a 50% discount, these students will now receive a reduced discount of 10%. This adjustment comes in response to reports of many individuals enrolling in distance education solely to obtain discounted transportation cards.

Gencay Özkan, the spokesperson for the Republican People’s Party (CHP) group in the İstanbul City Council, noted that the number of individuals aged over 30 using students’ public transportation cards has risen from 122,000 to 270,000 since 2019.

The Justice and Development Party (AKP) group opposed this adjustment, arguing that it is against the principle of equality. CHP controls both İstanbul and Ankara municipalities whereas the ruling AKP has the second-largest group in their city councils.

Hikes in Ankara

In Ankara, the fare increase affects various modes of public transportation, including buses and subways. The new fare schedule, approved by the UKOME General Assembly, is as follows:

- Full fare: 21 liras (up from 15 liras)

- Student fare: 10.5 liras (up from 7.5 liras)

- Teacher fare: 15.50 liras (up from 11 liras)

- Transfer fare (full): 10 liras (up from 7 liras)

- Transfer fare (student): 6.5 liras (up from 4.5 liras)

- Transfer fare (teacher): 7.50 liras (up from 5 liras)

(HA/VK)