According to a statement released by RURA, the pilot will be conducted on the Nyabugogo-Kabuga and Downtown-Kabuga routes.

“Under this new system, commuters will pay based on the distance travelled rather than a flat fare for the entire route. The approach is designed to promote equity and fairness in public transport fare systems,” the statement reads.

RURA further clarified that passengers will be required to tap in when boarding the buses and tap out at the end of their trip to avoid being charged for the entire route.

The statement also outlined the fare structure, with passengers paying Frw182 for the first two kilometers, Frw205 for three kilometers, Frw219 for four kilometers, Frw251 for the fifth, and so on until the 25th kilometer, where the fare will be Frw855.

RURA also provided examples of how fares will change on various common routes in Kigali. For example, the fare from Downtown to Remera (10 km) will be Frw388 from Frw307. The fare from Downtown to Rwandex (6 km) will cost Frw274, reduced from Frw307, among other adjustments.

Earlier this year, in February, Minister Dr. Gasore explained that a fare-based system would be particularly beneficial to passengers, especially after the removal of subsidies.

He emphasized that while the new system might result in higher fares for long-distance travelers, short-distance fares could decrease.

The pilot will be conducted on the Nyabugogo-Kabuga and Downtown-Kabuga routes.