Free rides in Kyiv: Klitschko responded to Zelensky’s idea and reminded about the resilience plan

Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko commented on President Volodymyr Zelensky’s proposals for free rides on the capital’s surface public transport and creating a reserve of buses. He said there is a shortage of drivers and reminded that the city’s resilience plan was delayed in its adoption.

There are buses but no drivers The mayor said that before introducing free travel and replacing the subway with buses, the central authorities should determine funding sources and calculate the need for vehicles and staff. "Regarding the new idea from the central authorities to ‘improve’ Kyiv. I mean ‘free’ travel. The president instructed the prime minister to present a program for such travel (which means, to find money for it?), and to find a reserve of buses," Klitschko wrote. The city’s head noted that the city does have buses to increase the number of routes, but it lacks drivers. "I'll start with the reserve. Kyiv has buses to add. There are no drivers! Maybe the police should, like with electricians, round them up?" he remarked. Read also: Protective structures won’t save you from rockets without air defense: Klitschko responded to the idea of a ‘cabinet’ to help Kyiv Separately, the mayor raised the issue of funding for free transport. "And about the money for ‘free’ [rides]. Maybe the government should first return to Kyiv the subsidy for free transportation of beneficiaries that it owes for 11 years? And that’s already over 8 billion UAH," he said. Vitali Klitschko also reminded about the delay in approving Kyiv’s resilience plan, which, he said, the central authorities blocked for half a year. "The central authorities handled Kyiv’s resilience plan well, by successfully blocking it for half a year. Now they have taken on public transport," the mayor emphasized. How many buses are needed to replace the subway According to Klitschko, after stopping electric transport the city increased the number of bus routes to 129, and the number of buses on those routes to 418. 685 drivers operate on these routes. To fully replace the subway with buses, the mayor estimates Kyiv would need 1020 vehicles. Currently, the municipal enterprise Kyivpastrans can additionally put 25 technically sound buses on the routes. However, this would require at least 50 drivers with category D licenses. "Besides the fact that they must undergo route training, the enterprise cannot hire new drivers due to a set limit," Klitschko noted. Read also: Trams and trolleybuses in Kyiv suspended due to lack of power He also recalled that the city’s public transport already carries more than 1 million passengers entitled to benefits for free. According to the mayor, the state should “cover” the expenses for such transportation. Initiative on free rides As reported, on 8 November President Volodymyr Zelensky said he instructed the government to prepare a program for free travel on Kyiv’s urban surface transport and to ensure an adequate reserve of buses. According to him, the prime minister, the NSDC secretary, and the interior minister have already presented options for reserve transport schemes for the capital. The head of state said the required number of vehicles and traffic reorganization in certain parts of Kyiv are already being worked out.

Reminder: Kyiv’s resilience plan, which envisages measures to prepare the city for the winter period, was approved with a delay. Vitali Klitschko first presented it at a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council on 3 March 2026. The document was adopted on 5 August. During approval, the estimate for planned works was cut by almost half — from 67 billion to 37 billion hryvnias.