Court upholds fine against Uzbekistan Railways subsidiary over ticket overpricing

In August, the Competition Committee's special commission fined the company and its parent organization for selling train tickets at inflated prices and ordered them to reimburse passengers a total of 1.3 billion UZS. The penalty aimed to compensate 792,000 passengers who had been overcharged.

"Shahar Atrofida Yulovchi Tashish" initially contested the ruling in the Tashkent City Administrative Court, which upheld the Committee’s decision. The company subsequently filed an appeal. On December 2, the appellate court confirmed the previous rulings, maintaining the penalties and reimbursement orders.

According to the Committee, Uztemiryulyulovchi sold 606,380 tickets with pricing violations in the Fergana region in 2023, generating 660 million UZS in overpayments. Additionally, its suburban transport subsidiary collected an extra 560 million UZS from the sale of 185,806 tickets between January and July 24 of this year.

In response to the ruling, Uztemiryulyulovchi stated that ticket prices for the Kokand-Margilan-Andijan route are 2.5 times lower than the actual cost of operating the trains. The company explained that while ticket prices are approved by its regional financial management branch, commission fees are set independently by the local branch.

The Competition Committee emphasized that the fines and reimbursements aim to restore fairness in public transportation pricing and protect consumer rights.