As of November 10, 2026, a new GOST for bus stops is in force in Russia

New standard for bus stops comes into force

As of November 10, 2026, the national standard GOST R 72912-2026 'Roads and Streets. Stops for Route Transport Vehicles. General Requirements' is in force in Russia. The document was developed by the Russian Road Research Institute (FAU 'ROSDORNII') on assignment from the Federal Road Agency, and was approved by Rosstandart by order No. 1269-st dated October 5, 2026. This was reported by Life.ru.

Three categories of stops and recommended services

The main innovation is the classification of stops by passenger flow. Basic stops are designed for a flow of fewer than 100 passengers per day, improved stops serve 100–500 people, and extended stops are intended for the busiest points with a flow of more than 500 passengers. The set of infrastructure elements depends on the category: the standard regulates not only the shelter, but also boarding areas, lay-bys and anti-lay-bys, lighting, and passenger information. For improved and extended urban stops, additional equipment is provided — Wi-Fi, phone chargers, emergency communication facilities, and video surveillance, primarily at major transfer points. However, in the official materials these elements are described as recommended: the claim that from November 10 Wi-Fi and chargers must appear at every stop is incorrect.

Accessibility and placement rules

A separate section of the standard is devoted to passengers with reduced mobility: the shelter must have free space of at least 0.9 × 1.2 meters for a wheelchair or stroller, and for passengers with visual impairments — tactile navigation and sound orientation aids. When choosing a stop location, pedestrian accessibility and traffic safety are taken into account: the path from passenger-attracting facilities is recommended to be no more than 250 meters, and when transferring between routes — no more than 120 meters between stops. The distance between adjacent stops is regulated separately: according to ROSDORNII, on streets under normal conditions it is approximately 300–600 meters, and for express services — 800–1200 meters. The standard also defines places where stop placement is not allowed: sections with insufficient visibility, areas in front of railway crossings, and protective zones of heating networks. The document takes into account the climatic features of regions — in certain conditions, the shelter may be placed with its back wall to the roadway to protect from wind and precipitation. Parking for bicycles and personal mobility devices is allowed to the side of or behind the shelter, as well as road barriers that reduce the risk of a car entering the passenger waiting area — their use depends on a risk assessment for the specific section.

Existing stops do not need to be replaced immediately

The standard does not provide for the immediate replacement of existing stops. ROSDORNII names two main cases for applying the new requirements: the construction of new stops and the scheduled upgrade of existing ones. There is no single transition calendar for the entire country in the document — the pace of changes will depend on when specific roads and stops are included in construction, reconstruction, or scheduled upgrade programs, so it will vary across regions. It is separately noted that the GOST does not apply to tram stops, nor to stops located on the territory of bus terminals, bus stations, and other transport facilities outside the street and road network.