St. Petersburg Residents Pay for Transport With the Podorozhnik App
Launched last year, the mobile service has already become a widely used tool for residents of Russia’s northern capital
In St. Petersburg, Podorozhnik has come back into fashion – though not the medicinal plant once used for healing. The name refers to the Russian word for plantain, a roadside herb whose name literally means “one that grows along the road.” Today it refers to a mobile application residents use to pay for public transport. The virtual travel pass already shows strong adoption, with about 600,000 users and more than 10 million trips completed. The figures were reported by the newspaper Vecherniy Sankt-Peterburg.
Digital Transformation Gains Momentum
The Podorozhnik service marked its first anniversary in March. The digital platform has become a widely used way to pay for public transport in the city. The virtual pass not only saves time but also lowers travel costs. On average, a trip paid through the app is about 26 percent cheaper than using a single-ride ticket.
According to St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov, the digital transformation of the city’s public transport system is gaining momentum.
Any Ticket in Podorozhnik
The service is expected to add discounted tickets in the future, including options for senior residents.
Earlier reports said the Bilet v budushchee (Ticket to the Future) program for Russian school students is also set to move into digital format.
