In the summer period, when the educational process in schools is suspended, the procedure for using public transport for students in Kyiv changes. From July 1 to August 31, schoolchildren no longer have the right to free travel, as provided for during the school year. Instead, they can purchase travel tickets with a 75% discount. This decision of the city authorities is based on the current norms approved earlier, but in the current conditions of martial law, it causes an ambiguous reaction.
What exactly changes from July 1 for schoolchildren
Free travel in Kyiv public transport for students is valid only during the academic year – from September 1 to July 1. During the vacation period, which covers two summer months, schoolchildren lose the right to full exemption from payment. This means that from July 1, students will pay for travel on a general basis, but with the possibility of purchasing concessionary travel tickets with a 75% discount. About this informs press service of the Kyiv City State Administration.
This system provides that the student or his parents can issue the appropriate type of travel ticket in advance — both for a month, for part of a month, or for a specified number of trips. It is also possible to purchase one-time trips through the student electronic ticket, but without a discounted price.
Preferential fares for travel tickets for full-time students, which will be valid from July 1 to August 31, 2025, are:
- 325 hryvnias — a monthly pass without a limit on the number of trips;
- 162.50 hryvnias — travel for the second half of the month without travel restrictions;
- 72.50 hryvnias — travel ticket for 46 trips per month;
- 97.50 hryvnias — travel for 62 trips per month;
- 143.75 hryvnias — travel for 92 trips per month;
- 192.50 hryvnias — travel for 124 trips per month.
Pupils who do not use a discounted travel card can pay for single trips in the standard way: the cost is 8 hryvnias for a trip on the metro, tram, trolleybus and bus, and 15 hryvnias for minibuses and the circular train.
How to issue a discounted travel ticket and where to buy it
You can issue or top up a student pass in several ways:
- through the Kyiv Digital application;
- in self-service terminals located at metro stations;
- at the metro ticket offices at the “Vydubychi 1”, “Pochayna 1” and “Vokzalna” stations;
- through the website of the State Enterprise “GIOC”;
- in the EasyPay mobile application.
To apply, you need to have a student transport card. Replenishment is carried out in the same way as during the academic year – with the only difference that holiday tariffs will now apply.
In addition to schoolchildren, the obligation to pay for travel from July 1 also applies to cadets of higher military educational institutions, who enjoy benefits during the academic year. In the summer period, these benefits do not apply, and travel for them becomes paid on a general basis.
Parents should take care of purchasing discounted travel tickets in advance, so that from July 1, their children can continue to freely use public transport. This will avoid unexpected costs, delays in movement and conflicts with controllers. It is also worth remembering that the 75% discount does not apply when paying for one-time trips with a student card – that is why it is more profitable to buy a monthly or limited travel pass.
In peacetime, the issue of fares for schoolchildren would be perceived as a technical detail, but now in the conditions of a full-scale war, such decisions have a deeper social meaning. Children who live in Kyiv under the constant threat of shelling have limited access to recreation, extracurricular education, and psychological support. Many people use public transport to get to safe spaces, volunteer centres, psychological support groups, clubs, language courses or doctor’s consultations. The reduction in travel expenses at least partially reduced the burden on families who found themselves in an economically difficult situation.
The introduction of mandatory fares, even with a discount, creates an additional burden for some parents and guardians, especially those who have lost their jobs or housing. Therefore, the review of summer benefits in the field of transport is directly related to the social support of minors living in the city during the war.
