Yekaterinburg Residents Furious Over Soaring Taxi Fares
In Yekaterinburg on January 22, temperatures dropped below -30 degrees Celsius (-22°F). Due to the extreme cold, even public transport was chilly, forcing many residents to opt for taxis to get home.
The cost of rides in such services increased sharply. For example, a trip from the city center to the Botanica or Akademichesky districts cost passengers around 1,200 rubles (about $13 at current rates).
Such prices caused dissatisfaction among some residents.
Did taxi services suddenly switch to Moscow prices? I pay that much for rides in Moscow!commented one reader.
Another user added:
Yekaterinburg will soon outpace Moscow in prices, just wait a bit and we«ll surpass it.Some linked the high tariff to weather conditions:
This price is due to the weather and traffic jams. At this time, it»s a common occurrence. At other times, it«s several times cheaper.
At the same time, a number of residents did not notice a significant price increase.
Riding now, from Verkhnyaya Pyshma (a town near Yekaterinburg) to the Youth Theater — 580 rubles (about $6 at current rates), and it«s comfortable. I»m surprised,wrote one of them. Another resident, Irina, reported:
I traveled quite affordably today during the day and morning, three times.
According to meteorologists, the cause of the frosts is an anticyclone. It is expected that temperatures around -30 degrees Celsius (-22°F) will persist in the Urals until Saturday, January 24.
