Public transport in the Black Sea city of Trabzon will cost more from Oct. 19 after the metropolitan municipal council approved an interim fare increase, local media reported on Oct. 14.
The minimum fare on dolmuş minibuses rises to 40 lira from 32 lira, while a ride on a municipal bus goes up to 35 lira from 27 lira. Local media described the move as a 25% interim increase, although the bus fare rise works out to about 30%. A regular student ticket will cost 15 lira and a monthly student pass 500 lira. The dolmuş tariff was approved unanimously and the bus tariff by majority vote.
Operators wanted more
Mayor Ahmet Metin Genç said dolmuş operators had asked for a minimum fare of 55 lira, a figure the municipality did not consider realistic. He said the city spends 480 million lira a year subsidizing public transport.
A dolmuş, from the Turkish word for "filled," is a shared minibus that runs a fixed route and stops on request. In many Turkish cities, including Trabzon, dolmuşes are run by private operators under municipal licences and carry a large share of daily commuters, with fares set by the city council.
Other cities face similar pressure
Trabzon is not alone in revisiting fares in the middle of the year, as operators in several cities press for increases to cover rising costs. In Antalya, the metropolitan council was due on Oct. 12 to review requests from transport operators in several districts. According to local media, operators asked for increases of 30% in the city center, 40% in Alanya and Finike, and 50% in Serik, Gazipaşa and Kaş, while taxi drivers in some districts sought higher meter rates. No decision had been reported as of Oct. 15.
For foreign residents in coastal towns such as Alanya and Kaş, where many rely on dolmuşes and municipal buses, any approved increase would feed directly into everyday living costs.
What travellers should know
Trabzon is a major destination for visitors from the Gulf and elsewhere, and many tourists use dolmuşes to reach the city center, the airport and nearby sights.
Visitors are advised to confirm current fares before travelling, as tariffs can change at short notice after council decisions.
Sources
- Trabzon toplu taşımaya yüzde 25 oranında ara zam geldi (Net Haber)
- Ulaşım zammı meclis gündeminde! Antalya’da ilçelerin istediği oranlar ortaya çıktı (Güncel Antalya)
Photo: edkohler / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
