Transport of Minsk

Even during “rush hours” citizens don’t suffer from traffic jams, unlike in the European cities. So don’t worry about the lack of a private car. Public transport runs without problems according to the established schedule which you can find over here.

Another good resource for those who travel around the city by public transport: kogda.by. Moreover, at the stops you can find electronic displays with the current transport schedule, which is updated in real time.

Minsk public transport system is one of the largest in Europe.

In Minsk there are buses with trolleybuses and all its varieties (electric buses, hybrid buses), trams, subways, electric trains, fixed-route taxis.

Interestingly, you won’t note any imported bus in this city because they are proud of domestic transport.

The Minsk Metro

The metro has two branches with 29 stations, including one interchange. Lines cross the city from edge to edge from the southwest to the northeast and from the northwest to the southeast. 

“Kupalawskaya” is an interchange station which connects both branches and during rush hour is quite crowded. The third metro line has been under construction for 6 years but already now you can see how the stations will look like. They promise to open them in 2020.

A metro token costs 65 kopecks (approximately € 0.3). Also, you can pay on the metro with contactless credit cards (Visa PayWave, MasterCard Contactless, Belkart-Maestro) and mobile devices with NFC; “Mir” payment system is not supported far.

All metro stations in Minsk are open at the entrance from 5:30 to 0:40, at the exit – until the last train arrives at the ending station (at 1:10).  It takes 29-30 minutes for any metro line to travel from ending station to ending station. A bus or a trolleybus in the same time will reach from the outskirts of the city to the station in the city center.

Buses, trolleybuses, trams, minibuses

The first trams, trolleybuses and buses start to work on average around 5 o’clock in the morning and finish at half past one in the night.

• A trip by ordinary bus (as well as tram or trolleybus) costs 60 kopecks (0.3 euro), by an express bus – 75 kopecks; if you are buying directly from a driver, the coupon will be 5 kopeks more expensive.
• There are no permanent conductors in the salons.

“Minsktrans” has developed about 180 ticket types. All tickets are on electronic cards only, no paper is left ( but the disposable coupons). Travel tickets can be valid for a certain number of trips (from 10 to 100) or for a period of time (from 1 to 90 days).

• The most expensive monthly ticket for all types of transport (bus, express bus, trolleybus, tram, metro, city electric train) costs 64 rubles (31 euro).

From Soviet Union times the tradition of using validators in buses where it’s necessary to punch disposable coupons has been preserved.

Although  technological “know-how” is also present: buying electronic travel cards you have to pay for the trip by attaching them to the validators at the door. Control works on the lines and all citizens are well aware of it.

• The fine for stowaways – 0.5 base amount (analogue to the minimum wage), or 12.25 rubles (6 euro).

The fare in the minibus depends on how far you go. Three gradations are usually used: 1 ruble (0.5 euro) and 1.5 ruble around the city, 2 ruble (1 euro) in the near suburbs.

• Payment to the driver in cash at the entrance, bank cards or travel cards are not used.
• All minibuses are of western production only: Mercedes Sprinter, FIAT Ducato, Peugeot Boxer, etc. There are no “Gazelles” and “ZIL-gobies” in Minsk.

The Minsk electric trains

There are 16 railway stations and stops within the city that can be used to take electric trains including trains of the so-called “city lines” (in fact, ordinary commuter trains with shorter routes and more expensive fares). There are no cross-border routes from edge to edge of the city. Payment depends on the distance; from the station to the city limits you can get for 26–36 kopecks (0.17–0.25 euro) by an ordinary electric train or for 90 kopecks (0.5 euro) – by the “city” train.

Taxi

What kind of taxi works in Minsk? The city has about a dozen classic taxi services. They have official names, but most often Minsk residents routinely call them by short telephone number: 107, 135, 152, 157, etc.

• The trip will cost from 4.5–5 rubles (2–2.5 euro): this amount includes booking and driving three kilometers, then each kilometer will charge another 55 kopecks (0.25 euro) if traveling within the city limits by a regular passenger car.
• The average trip from the station to the roundabout (10-12 kilometers) will pull 8-10 rubles (4-5 euro).

Taxi services “Friday” and “Bavaria” provide cars with a higher level whose drivers meet the passengers in a suit, don’t impose “for life” and don’t switch the “chanson” on (musical style).

• In such a case subscription costs 6-7.5 rubles (3-4 euro) and each kilometer – from 0.95 to 1.2 rubles (~ 0.5 euro).

To get to the Minsk National Airport or vice versa (it is 35 kilometers from the MKAD) by an ordinary taxi costs 40–45 rubles, the airport has its own taxi service which will take you to the city for 40 rubles.

All presented rates are valid for ordinary cars and only with an official order by phone, through the website or application.

• If you take the car “in the street” (to negotiate with the driver on the spot), then the taxi driver officially has the right to set absolutely any fare for arrival pick-up and mileage. Often you can hear from the news that a short trip of 8-10 kilometers pulled 60–70 rubles (30–35 euro).

The services Yandex.Taxi, Uber, NextApp operate in Minsk, in which the price of the trip depends on the current coefficient.

• The minimum cost of the trip will be about 3.5 rubles (1.7 euro), 40-60 kopecks (0.2-0.3 euro) per kilometer.
• A trip of 10-12 kilometers from the station to the Moscow Ring Road will cost approximately 6-8 rubles (3-4 euro).

Car Sharing in Minsk

In 2017, a per-minute car rental (car-sharing) appeared in Minsk. Now four such services are already working: Anytime, Vesukha, Hello and WestGroup; in total, they have about 700 Volkswagen Polo cars and “classmates”. One minute of the car usage costs on average about 30 kopecks (0.15 euro), and a full day in the daily rate – from 57 to 80 rubles (28-40 euro). This amount includes up to 200 kilometers.

In addition to car sharing in Minsk, there is also cycling and scooter sharing.