Bus transportation in Russia

2024: The bus fleet in Russia grew by 10% in 5 years to 486 thousand units. Regions

Over the past five years, the number of bus fleets in Russia has increased by 10%, reaching 486 thousand units by the beginning of 2024. This became known on July 8, 2024 according to the results of a study conducted by the National Agency for Industrial Information (NAPI).

According to Vedomosti, for the period from 2019 to 2024, the number of buses in the country increased by about 43.5 thousand units. At the same time, the share of the young bus fleet under the age of 6, inclusive, increased from 15.2% to 16.5%, which indicates a gradual renewal of vehicles.

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Analysis of the regional structure of the bus fleet showed significant differences between the entities. of the Russian Federation The youngest bus fleet is recorded in, To Moscow where the average age of vehicles is 12.6 years. The capital is followed St. Petersburg Moscow region by (13.6 years), (Leningrad Oblast 14.4 years), (14.5 years) and (14.9 Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug years).

At the opposite end of the spectrum are the regions with the oldest bus fleet. Dagestan became the leader of the anti-rating, where the average age of buses reaches 24.5 years. It is followed by Kalmykia (22.7 years), Kamchatka (22.4 years), North Ossetia (22.3 years) and Kabardino-Balkaria (21.9 years).

During the period under review, the greatest rejuvenation of the bus fleet occurred in the Vladimir region, where the average age of vehicles decreased from 17.9 to 15 years. A significant improvement in indicators was also observed in the Murmansk region and Chechnya.

Despite the general trend towards renewal, some regions have seen an accelerated ageing of the bus fleet. This process was most noticeable in the Khabarovsk Territory, Udmurtia and Yakutia, where the average age of buses increased by 2-2.5 years.

Moscow leads not only in age, but also in the number of young buses in the park. There are 9,100 cars in the capital under 6 years old, which is 33% of the total. A significant part of this fleet is electric buses, the number of which exceeded 1,400 units by the end of 2023.^[1]

2023: International bus journeys rise by a third to 1.65 million

In 2023, the number of trips on international buses in Russia reached 1.65 million. This is almost a third - by 31.2% - more than the previous year, when about 1.26 million such movements were made. Significant growth is associated with the recovery of the industry after restrictions imposed on the background of the COVID-19 pandemic. Statistics are provided in BusinesStat materials released on February 14, 2024.

According to estimates, in 2019 the number of trips by international buses to the Russian Federation reached 2.92 million. In 2020, due to the spread of coronavirus, the indicator collapsed by 60% - to 1.17 million. And in 2021, a decline of another 52.1% was recorded with a final result of about 0.56 million. In 2022, restrictions caused by the pandemic began to be lifted. The number of trips by international vehicles in Russia rose by 125%, reaching 1.26 million.

The main factor in the growth was the restoration of bus services with Belarus, Kazakhstan and other neighboring countries. In addition, in 2023, trips between Russia and China resumed, which were stopped in 2020. As of the end of 2023, bus routes from Russia operated in such directions as Suifenhe, Hunchun, Manchuria, etc. At the same time, in the conditions of the current geopolitical situation, as noted, the "previously rather lively" bus service with Ukraine and the countries of the European Union has been disrupted.

The study also says that in 2023, 68 enterprises of international bus transport operated in Russia. Of these, 60, or 88.2%, were in Russian ownership. The share of companies owned by foreign owners amounted to 5.9%, and the same number of organizations were in joint Russian and foreign ownership.^[2]

2022: Intercity bus ridership up 3.3% to 6.29 million

The volume of passenger transportation by intercity buses in Russia in 2022 amounted to 6.29 million people, which is 3.3% more than a year earlier. In 2021, the market showed an increase of 7.2%, according to data that experts of the analytical agency published in September 2023.

According to the researchers, after the recession caused by the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, the bus transportation market began to recover. An additional incentive to increase the passenger traffic of intercity buses was the new crisis in 2022. Long-distance buses remain the most budgetary mode of transport with a relatively low level of comfort and safety. In the context of a decrease in the disposable income of Russians, restrictions on air traffic in the southern regions of the country, as well as an increase in the cost of maintaining personal vehicles, an influx of passengers of intercity bus transport was observed. The introduction of restrictions on the growth of tariffs also contributed to the growth of demand for intercity bus transportation in 2022-2023.

At the same time, sanctions have a negative impact on the industry. Intercity service uses buses of large capacity mainly of imported origin. In the current environment, maintenance of such a fleet has become difficult due to the lack of access to foreign spare parts. Western brands Volvo, Scania, MAN, Bosch, due to reputational risks, logistical difficulties and payment problems, limited the supply of original parts to Russia.

Analysts add that the increase in rates on loans required to buy buses, an increase in operating costs (maintenance, staff salaries, fuel costs) while the authorities restrain the increase in fares lead to a reduction in the fleet of intercity buses and limit market growth.^[3]

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