Kyiv region ranks last in national bus-accessibility index

Kyiv region ranks last in national bus-accessibility index AI

A new study finds Kyiv region scored just 1.8 points on an index of interregional bus-route availability — the lowest of 21 regions tested — despite high passenger demand. By contrast Ivano-Frankivsk scored 84.2. The report flags a gap between registered routes and actually active services. For Kyiv commuters and suburban residents, the finding helps explain crowded services, limited schedules and informal boarding points outside official stops.

A recent analysis covering 21 Ukrainian regions places Kyiv region at the bottom for interregional bus accessibility, with a score of 1.8. Researcher Irina Kosse grouped regions into four types and highlighted a striking contrast: Ivano-Frankivsk scored 84.2, creating an 82.4-point gap between the two regions.

The study says Kyiv region combines high demand with too few routes rather than low passenger interest. The authors note that official registers list 3,918 interregional routes, but only 2,622 are marked active, and the total number of registered routes nationwide fell from about 5,700 to 3,900 over the past five years. More than 550 carriers operate in the market, so the report points to outdated regulation and uneven route distribution rather than single-carrier monopolies.

Researchers conducted the work ahead of a planned digital reform of the interregional bus market; the published scores are intended as a baseline to judge whether the reform improves real, usable services rather than just registry entries.

Know what Kyiv knows.