Fare-dodgers' pause removed: 10 seconds to pay on Mykolaiv electric transport

In Mykolaiv, the rules for fare payment on trams and trolleybuses of KP “Mykolaivelektrotrans” are being changed. After scanning the QR code, passengers will have only 10 seconds, to complete the payment. If this is not done in time, the code will become invalid and will have to be scanned again. This was announced during a live broadcast by the enterprise director Yurii Smetana.

According to the head of “Mykolaivelektrotrans”, the innovation is intended to eliminate a common scheme where a passenger scans the code but does not pay for the ticket immediately, instead effectively waiting to see whether a controller will board. Now there will be no such “pause for thought”.

“After scanning, a person will have 10 seconds to validate. There will no longer be the possibility to wait to see whether a controller boards. After 10 seconds the QR code becomes invalid and will need to be scanned again,” – explained Yurii Smetana.

Separately, the enterprise also warns about counterfeit electronic tickets. If controllers detect fake QR codes, law enforcement will be called to the scene. At “Mykolaivelektrotrans” they emphasize: controllers have special technical devices that allow them to immediately check whether a ticket is valid.

“If instances of QR code forgery are detected, the State Security Service and the National Police will be called to draw up reports,” – noted Yurii Smetana.

These changes come against the background of an overall tightening of fare payment control in Mykolaiv’s electric transport. It was previously reported that from May 4, 2026 the fare on the city’s trams and trolleybuses will be 15 UAH, and for passengers without tickets a “controller’s ticket” costing 300 UAH will be introduced. If a passenger refuses to pay it, controllers will call the police.

In other words, the city’s electric transport is gradually moving from a “trust-based” approach to a stricter inspection system: pay immediately – ride calmly; try to cheat – you risk a conflict with controllers, security, or the police.