Krasnoyarsk phases out bus conductors in major transport reform

Conductor-Free Public Transport: Krasnoyarsk Follows Novosibirsk's Lead—But Challenges Remain

Many cities, including neighboring Novosibirsk, have already phased out conductors on public transport. Yet the move is not without its problems—social ones included. For instance, it remains unclear what will happen to the army of conductors now facing redundancy; at best, they may retrain as fare inspectors.

Krasnoyarsk City Council Deputy Vladimir Zhuravlev shared the plans in his Telegram channel. According to him, the city's Department of Housing and Transport confirmed in response to his inquiry that the absence of conductors on routes No. 64 and 77 is not temporary but part of a broader initiative to transition Krasnoyarsk's entire public transport network to a new fare system.

City officials argue that the system will allow passengers to board more quickly and head straight to available seats without waiting for a conductor. For transport operators, the benefits are clear: lower payroll costs (no conductor salaries or cash handling) and transparent revenue tracking. Additionally, electronic validators will provide precise data on passenger numbers across different routes and times of day.

However, for the system to function smoothly, three key conditions must be met: hiring a team of fare inspectors, introducing penalties for fare evasion, and ensuring all buses are equipped with working validators.

The regional transport company Krasnoyarskavtotrans has been designated as the system operator.

No firm timeline has been set for the full rollout—preparations are still underway.

The Transport Department acknowledges that the reform has drawbacks. During peak hours, if a single validator malfunctions, passengers may have to crowd toward another entrance, slowing down boarding. There are also concerns about fare verification: if an inspector boards, passengers will have no physical ticket to show—only digital confirmation, as validators do not issue paper receipts.

Nevertheless, the transition is already in motion, and the removal of conductors from select routes is just the beginning.

A similar conductor-free payment system is already operational on some bus routes in Novosibirsk, where passengers simply tap their cards on validators mounted on handrails. Observations by DELO's correspondent suggest that residents of Siberia's capital demonstrate high civic consciousness, with almost no one attempting to ride without paying—even in the absence of active fare checks. Whether Krasnoyarsk's passengers will show the same level of honesty when left to pay "on the honor system" remains to be seen.