Baku Metro Chief: "When in Metro, buy card or go away"

He reaffirmed that all passengers should use chip cards because Baku Metro will stop use of tokens from January 1, chip card reader turnstiles have been installed in all stations.

"Some ignore this announcement. But, our decision is firm. These cards allow passengers to load 1-200 entry units to their account. Passengers can return cards and get refund whenever they want. They can't use tokens. We will not be able to sell 400,000 cards a day in January 1," he said.

Tagi Ahmadov said that some refuse to buy cards, claiming that they come from regions and use Metro very rarely and maybe once.

"But, it is not favorable for us to sell one-off cards. They also should buy chip cards, and can get refund when they return to regions. If anybody refuses to buy a card, let them use another transport," he said.

Tagi Ahmadov said that the fare is 55 kopecks in Metro while it costs Metro 55 kopecks. "We lose $75m a year," he underlined.

Tagi Ahmadov unveiled the plan on renaming the stations. "Elmlar Akademiyasi Station can be renamed as Huseyn Javid, Inshaatchilar as Uzeyir Hajibayov, Ulduz as Chingiz Babayev," he said. APA