During the first half of 2023, the average price paid for a bus ticket rose noticeably, climbing by about one third compared with the same period in the prior year. A study conducted for a prominent media outlet tracked this shift, showing that the typical fare moved from 92 rubles to 122 rubles per ride. The rise in ticket prices mirrors broader trends across the transportation sector, where passengers are increasingly choosing bus travel for everyday mobility and longer domestic trips alike.
Alongside the price increase, there is a clear signal that demand for domestic travel is strengthening. Payment data from debit cards reveals a shift in how people pay for transportation: payments for urban, intercity, and suburban bus routes grew from representing 37% of all transport payments to 44% within the year. This indicates a growing preference for bus travel, driven in part by affordability, convenience, and the expanding network of routes that make bus journeys a practical option for both shorter urban hops and longer national trips.
Further observations point to demographic differences in bus usage. The data show that women accounted for the majority of bus-related payments, making up about 59% of these transactions in the current year, while men accounted for 41%. This disparity may reflect varying travel needs, schedules, and preferences between the genders, as well as differences in how each group uses public transportation for work, schooling, errands, and social activities.
Earlier analyses noted that bus fare levels had already been trending upward in other seasons, with a notable price increase of around 13 percent observed during the winter period. Taken together, these findings paint a picture of a bus travel market that is growing in popularity alongside rising costs, as travelers increasingly rely on the bus as a reliable and accessible way to navigate across regions and connect cities within the country.