Prague may increase the cost of an annual public transit pass by 50 percent

Prague is going to raise public transport fares by as much as 50% and increase parking fees in the blue zones. This is to make up for the loss of revenues due to the lack of tourists because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The fare increase would end the symbolic 10 CZK paid on average per day for holders of annual coupons on transit passes such as the Lítačka card.

Prague City Councilor Hana Marvanová (United Force for Prague) said proposals to increase the prices of almost all fare tariffs were made at this week’s City Council meeting this week. The annual coupon would increase in price from the current 3,650 CZK to about 5,500 CZK, according to news server E15.cz. This would be even more than the annual pass cost before the big reduction in 2015.

Prague Deputy Mayor Adam Scheinherr (Praha sobě), responsible for transit, said that the city is discussing various options with the Prague Public Transit Company (DPP) in connection with the search for solutions and savings.

“We assume that in the end it will be a combination of various measures,” Scheinherr said, without disclosing further details.

He also presented a plan to increase fares and find savings at a meeting of City Council representatives with DPP’s unions on July 15.

A decision on a proposal to increase the price of parking will be made in the coming weeks. The Pirates, who lead the current City Hall coalition, want to supplement a Praha sobě proposal with rules that make the transport company’s tenders more transparent.

Reducing public transit fares was one of the big accomplishments of the previous Prague City Hall administration, led by then-mayor Adriana Krnáčová (ANO). In 2015, Prague reduced the annual coupon from the original 4,750 CZK to 3,650 CZK. It was an effort to both increase ridership and reduce the number of fare evaders.

Last year, DPP earned almost 4.5 billion CZK from the fares. From this year, the company expects significantly worse results due to a drop in ridership because of the coronavirus crisis.