Changes in transportation services in Odesa: tracking in a smartphone and online payment

At the beginning of the week in Odesa, city council member Petro<b> Obukhov</b> pleased the citizens with two pieces of news regarding public transportation.

First, he said, passengers can now pay for trams and trolleybuses with a card from any bank and without the Privat-24 app. Online tracking of minibuses in theEasyWay andMISTO apps has also been launched.

<b>Fares can be paid with cards from any bank</b>

"All QR codes have been updated - now you just need to scan them with your smartphone camera and pay with any card," the MP wrote.

The press service of Privatbank reported that the bank has indeed launched payment for public transportation in Odesa via QR code with cards from any bank. Employees of the company, in partnership with Odesmiselectrotrans, have expanded the functionality of cashless fare payment, allowing passengers of Odesa's public transport to buy tickets via QR code and pay for travel with a card of any bank, as well as through Apple/Google Pay.

From now on, in the city's electric transport, the QR code can be scanned through the Privat-24 app or with the camera of any smartphone, which provides quick access to the payment page.

"Buying a ticket via PrivatBank's QR code is fast, easy and convenient. We are constantly working to make cashless payments as accessible as possible for all residents and guests of the city," commented Oleksiy Tsymbalyuk, Head of PrivatBank's Southern Macro Regional Department.

Bank employees noted that the system allows purchasing any number of single, student and pupil tickets required. They also added that in the Privat-24 mobile application, in the "Public Transport" menu and in the "Travel" tab, it is possible to select and pay for travel tickets (by type of transport and validity period).

<b>You can now track the bus in the apps</b>

According to Petro Obukhov, Odesa has also launched online bus tracking in the EasyWay and MISTO apps. He noted that not all routes are connected to the apps yet, but most of them are already displayed on the map.

MISTO is a platform that combines key city services.

Tracking in the MISTO app. Photo: Petro Obukhov

The creators of the app promised that every quarter the platform's functionality will be supplemented with new features. Thus, in the future, the app will allow paying for utility services, purchasing an electronic ticket for traveling by electric transport, and much more. Online public transport tracking has also been launched.

As partof the EasyWay Odesa service, it is a mobile application for tracking public transport in the city, which shows routes, schedules and GPS positions of buses, trolleybuses and trams. The app is available for Android and iOS, helping you plan your trips with up-to-date information on traffic at stops such as the Northern Market.

Tracking in the EasyWay app. Photo: Petro Obukhov

Both apps are available on Google Play and the App Store.

The online tracking of minibus traffic has been available since October 24, 2025, but is still in test mode. Therefore, transport is not yet fully tracked.

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According to Petro Obukhov, the next logical step is to introduce card payments in minibuses. Technically, this can be done in a month, only political will is needed. We will see if it will be done. Fares in minibuses are a very slippery slope for local carriers.

Володимир Шкаєв