Transit fares are set to rise

Prague City Council will increase the fares for paper tickets, SMS tickets and one-day passes on the city's bus, tram and metro network.

The price of the current 18 Kč and 26 Kč fares will rise to 24 Kč and 32 Kč, respectively, July 1.

At the same time, their validity is being extended so that the cheaper ticket will now be valid for 30 minutes with transfers, and the more expensive one for 90 minutes with transfers.

The increases put forward by the city's transport committee, were approved by the City Council May 17.

Due to efforts to increase the number of regular users, the City Council meanwhile said it will not increase the cost for Open Card subscriptions for the next three years.

Prague's Deputy Mayor for Transport Karel Březina (ČSSD) said the new fares are being introduced to make up for the cost of providing free travel for children under 15 and seniors over 65.

He said the new concessions are forecast to cost Prague Integrated Transport (ROPID) 240 million Kč, and that the council estimated the fare increases will recoup most of this with an extra return of 206 million Kč.

Březina argued that while the rates are going up, the change will be welcomed by passengers because of the validity extensions.

"I fully believe the changes we are making will make public transport more attractive, and that Praguers will welcome them," he said in a statement.

He pointed out that transfers will now be possible on both tickets, and that certain journeys will actually cost less because they will be possible with the cheaper ticket for the first time.

"Both tickets will be fully transferable and valid for all the connections of Prague Integrated Transport," he said. "The price per minute of the shorter ticket will be lower than it is now, and with the full price [90-minute] ticket, it remains the same, and you can even take a return ride."

At present, the 18 Kč ticket does not allow passengers to change transport modes or to ride for more than 20 minutes. The 26 Kč ticket is currently only valid for 75 minutes, aside from the SMS tickets, which already allow travel for 90 minutes.

Filip Drápal, spokesman for ROPID, pointed out that the increase only applies to 20 percent of Prague transport users because the rest have Open Cards.

He told The Prague Post he does not expect Praguers "to run to their cars" as a result of the price increases on single journeys.

"Given that there has been no price increase in 3 and a half years and every fuel source is getting more expensive - gasoline, oil, electricity - using a car in Prague already does not pay off when compared with public transport," Drápal said.

A spokeswoman for Prague City Hall meanwhile contradicted Březina's statement that the increases are being introduced to pay for child and senior concessions.

Tereza Krásenská insisted to The Prague Post that the price rise is "simply because they have not increased for a long time," and even suggested the rise is only a problem for visitors.

"The tickets are mostly used by people from outside Prague or tourists. Therefore, it is not necessary for the city to subsidize their fare," she said. "It is not a step against Praguers who mostly have the OpenCard, and people from the Prague surroundings who come to Prague for work can always buy an OpenCard."

To qualify for free travel starting July 1, children and seniors can get an age card for a one-time fee of 120 Kč. If they have an OpenCard with a subscription that is still valid after that date, they can get a refund.

Additionally, luggage tickets have been increased from 13 Kč to 16 Kč, and this ticket will now apply to dogs as well. Up to now, dog owners had to pay a second full fare for their pet.

- Klára Jiřičná contributed to this report.

Bill Lehane can be reached at
blehane@praguepost.com