Ulanbek Beishenbaev, the director of the Department of Transport and Development of Road Transport Infrastructure of the Bishkek City Hall, shared with journalists the plans for a large-scale reform of the city's public transport system.
He noted that the changes will affect all 72 existing routes, which will be completely redesigned. “All routes will be optimized,” he emphasized.
Some routes will become circular, which will help improve transport accessibility and redistribute passenger flows. Other routes will completely change their schemes.
The main goal of the reform is to increase the efficiency of public transport, reduce waiting times, and create a more convenient transfer system for users.
Beishenbaev also commented on the issue of "waffle" markings at intersections, noting their ineffectiveness. Drivers often ignore this marking, especially in the absence of cameras from the "Safe City" project, which leads to ineffective results.
As part of the reform, there are plans to expand the network of dedicated lanes for public transport.
Dedicated lanes will be organized on Abdrahmanov and Jibek Jolu streets, as well as on the Southern Highway. This is expected to increase the speed of bus movement and reduce delays during peak hours.
The reform also includes the introduction of a more flexible fare payment system. According to Beishenbaev, despite the possibility of multiple transfers, a single fare will be set for one hour.
“Yes, passengers may have to transfer, but we plan that payment with the 'Tulpar' card within one hour will be 17 soms, even if you use several routes. After paying once, you will be able to travel for a whole hour,” added the department director.
