During a meeting at the Yerevan municipality on Monday, Avinian rejected suggestions that the large crowds seen at metro stations were due to payment method limitations. He assured residents that metro train frequency would be increased to alleviate congestion during rush hours.
In March, Yerevan’s Municipal Assembly dominated by Avinian’s allies from the ruling Civil Contract party approved his proposal for a unified ticket system for all public transport in Yerevan, initially set for a September launch but postponed to January 1, 2025.
Under this system, passengers will be required to pay using validators installed on buses, trolleybuses, and at metro turnstiles, utilizing special fare tickets. For those purchasing a limited number of rides – such as three within 90 minutes – bus fares will triple from the current 100 drams (25 cents) to 300 drams. Meanwhile, fares for unlimited ride tickets may vary based on usage.
The opposition has criticized the ruling majority for the fare increase, arguing it disproportionately impacts low-income passengers. However, city officials maintain that the reform aims to significantly enhance public transport quality, which will remain subsidized by the city budget despite the new pricing.
As part of the transition, Avinian announced that starting November 1, all newly imported buses would only accept payments through validators, requiring passengers to have a QR code obtained via a mobile electronic wallet or a terminal from the financial operator Tel-Cell. For a limited time, only 100-dram coins will be accepted, which must be deposited into a box rather than handed to drivers.
Following this announcement, a shortage of 100-dram coins was reported, with many stores ceasing to provide them as change. Consequently, some passengers, particularly elderly citizens unfamiliar with digital payment methods, faced difficulties accessing buses on November 1.
Opposition activists suggested that many passengers, anticipating payment issues, opted to take the metro instead, contributing to the crowds at stations. At today’s meeting, Avinian promised that additional payment options, including bank card payments, would be introduced soon.
“Despite the challenges, this system is the way forward,” he emphasized, noting that cash payment limitations have already led to increased daily revenues for buses, as the city aims to curb illicit practices by drivers.
Meanwhile, former Yerevan Mayor Hayk Marutian announced a campaign on Sunday to collect signatures urging authorities to allow passengers unwilling to purchase unlimited tickets to continue paying 100 drams per ride after the introduction of the new system.
“The proposal is simple: while monthly, quarterly, or annual packages can remain, we demand an option for single rides at 100 drams,” he stated in a video on Facebook.
Marutian, who previously led the second largest faction in Yerevan’s Municipal Assembly before his controversial expulsion from the body in early 2024 due to purported chronic absenteeism, intends to present the collected signatures to authorities in December.
Notably, Marutian has a history of activism, having previously helped thwart a more modest fare increase in 2013 through protests and public engagement. Many members of the current ruling party, Civil Contract, were also actively engaged in those protests.