Bishkek, Dec. 3, 2025. /Kabar/. Alexander Baranov, one of the developers of the Bishkek General Plan for 2050 and representative of the St. Petersburg Research Institute for Advanced Urban Development, explained why the document doesn't include a metro.
According to him, the capital's passenger traffic is insufficient for the metro to operate economically. Furthermore, the metro's construction timeframe significantly exceeds the implementation timeframes for alternative rail transport.
"Bishkek metro won't meet the passenger demand, meaning it will be economically unprofitable. And the metro's construction timeframe is at least three times longer than tram. Therefore, by spending time on, say, five metro stations, we could build tram network in the same amount of time. It will be in demand and meet the passenger demand," the specialist explained. He noted that two key criteria were taken into account when selecting transport solutions:
- the need to build routes where the city needs them, not where it's easier to build;
- cost-effectiveness in terms of cost and speed of implementation.
The expert emphasized that Bishkek needs prompt solution to its transport problems, and the metro is a lengthy and expensive project that doesn't meet the city's current needs.