The rise in intercity transport prices has reignited debate over the financial burden faced every day by citizens who work or study outside the city where they live.
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As of September 1, the monthly pass on the Tetovo-Skopje route increased from 5,500 to 6,500 denars. For a worker earning a monthly salary of 26,000 denars, commuting to work alone accounts for about a quarter of their income.
At this price, the annual cost of transport reaches 78,000 denars, excluding other expenses related to the daily commute.
Through an open letter, citizens and workers have called on institutions to analyze how fares are set and determine whether the price increases are justified.
The situation also affects passengers on other routes. A monthly pass from Kumanovo to Skopje costs 6,000 denars, while one from Gostivar to Skopje costs 8,000 denars. For a worker commuting daily from Gostivar to Skopje, the annual cost amounts to 96,000 denars.
The letter addressed to the institutions also raises the question of why prices vary so widely between routes covering similar distances.
The authors compare the Skopje-Katlanovo route with the Tetovo-Skopje route. For the roughly 35 kilometers between Skopje and Katlanovo, a monthly pass costs 1,600 denars, while passengers pay 6,500 denars for the approximately 40 kilometers from Tetovo to Skopje.
This creates a difference of 4,900 denars per month, or 58,800 denars per year.
According to the initiators, one factor contributing to this situation is the lack of public alternatives. Public urban transport is available on the Skopje-Katlanovo route, while passengers traveling between Tetovo and Skopje rely mainly on private intercity transport operators.
For this reason, the relevant institutions are being asked to clarify which economic indicators are used to calculate fares, whether the new rates reflect the actual increase in transport operators’ costs, and which body verifies their legality and justification.
The letter also addresses the reimbursement of travel expenses for workers who live in one city and work in another.
Members of Parliament who live outside Skopje are cited as a point of comparison. Referring to Radio Free Europe data cited in the letter, it says that 65 MPs received 18.6 million denars for fuel and road tolls between May 28, 2024, and June 30, 2025.
The authors clarify that this example is not presented as criticism of MPs, but as a way of asking whether ordinary workers have a mechanism that realistically covers the cost of commuting to work.
The initiators warn that high fares could have broader social consequences, including forcing citizens to move to the city where they work or study.
“When daily travel becomes too expensive, citizens face a choice: pay thousands of denars every month or move to where they work or study,” the letter says.
The institutions are being asked to review the latest increase, make public the criteria used to set ticket prices, and monitor compliance with legal obligations.
The demands also include reviewing competition on the busiest routes and establishing functional and affordable public intercity transport, including the option of subsidized tickets and family tickets.
The authors are also calling for travel reimbursements to be adjusted to reflect the actual expenses of workers who commute daily outside their place of residence.
“We are not asking you to take the passengers’ side in advance. We are asking you to ask this question,” the appeal to the institutions and the media says.
According to the initiators, the fundamental issue is whether citizens should be forced to move to Skopje simply because the cost of daily travel has become unaffordable.
“We do not want to move. We want to be able to work and study,” they say./Telegrafi/
