Getting Around Kentron: An Overview
Kentron is the central district of Yerevan, Armenia, and it sits at the heart of the city's public transport network. Visitors basing themselves here will find that almost every mode of intracity transport — buses, trolleybuses, minibuses and the metro — converges on or passes through the centre. Yerevan's transport is organised by the municipality through several operating bodies, including Yerevan Metro, Yerevan Electric Transport, Yerevan Bus and YerevanTrans, with a Traffic Management Center overseeing traffic and public transport management.
City policy has been shifting toward higher-capacity vehicles: buses and trolleybuses are being expanded while minibuses are being phased out. For a visitor, this generally means newer, larger and more comfortable vehicles on many routes, and a simpler ticketing experience than in previous years.
Metro
Yerevan has a single metro line, operated as "Yerevan Metro named after Karen Demirchyan." It runs on a fixed underground route with stations spaced through the city, and it is the quickest way to cover longer distances without dealing with surface traffic. Passenger numbers had been stabilising and growing in recent years, helped by improved efficiency and service quality and by the discontinuation of some competing bus and minibus routes.
For a visitor staying in Kentron, the metro is best thought of as a fast trunk connection: use it to hop between the centre and outer districts, then switch to surface transport or walk for the last stretch. A tender has been finalised for design and cost-estimate consulting work on a new metro station in the Ajapnyak district, so the network is set to grow, but for now it remains a single line.
Buses and Minibuses
Buses form the backbone of surface transport in Yerevan, with a large route network operated on a contractual basis by Yerevan Bus. The fleet has been substantially renewed in recent years, with new small, mid-sized and large buses introduced, and the older minibuses progressively withdrawn. Small buses and mid-sized buses cover the bulk of routes, while large buses serve a smaller set of high-demand corridors.
Minibuses still operate on a limited number of routes using newer GAZelle City vehicles, but their role is shrinking by design. If you prefer a guaranteed seat and more space, favour buses over minibuses where both serve your route.
Accessibility is a notable strength of the newer fleet: all buses imported in recent years are equipped with ramps, as are the newly acquired trolleybuses, making boarding easier for travellers with luggage, strollers or mobility difficulties.
Trolleybuses
Trolleybuses — electric vehicles drawing power from overhead wires — are operated by Yerevan Electric Transport and run on a handful of routes. The fleet includes older vehicles alongside newer ones, including modern in-motion charging trolleybuses that can run partly without overhead wires. Trolleybus routes tend to serve major streets, and the contact network has been renovated on some central streets in recent years.
For visitors, trolleybuses are simply another surface option: cheap, electric, and useful when a trolleybus route happens to match your journey. They are not a separate ticketing system from the rest of the network.
Tickets and Fares
Yerevan introduced unified electronic ticketing across its public transport network at the start of 2025. This means the same electronic payment approach applies across buses, trolleybuses and the metro, rather than separate paper tickets per mode. Discounts and benefits apply for certain groups of citizens.
Practically, a visitor should expect to pay electronically rather than with cash handed to a driver, and should look for the unified ticketing system when boarding. Because the scheme is relatively new and details of top-up points and card types can change, it is worth checking locally on arrival — at a metro station or from your accommodation — for the current way to buy and reload a ticket.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis are widely available in central Yerevan and are a convenient option for short trips, late nights, or journeys with luggage. Ride-hailing apps are the simplest way for visitors to book: they avoid language barriers and haggling, and give a fixed price before you set off. For trips within Kentron, taxis are often competitive with public transport in cost once you factor in convenience, especially if you are travelling as a group.
Note that paid parking is organised on the main streets of Kentron and Arabkir districts, with modern equipment including automatic license plate recognition. If you are driving or being driven, expect parking fees in the centre; electric vehicles are exempt from local parking fees under a Yerevan Council of Elders decision.
Walking in Kentron
Kentron is the most walkable part of Yerevan. The centre's main streets, squares and pedestrian areas are laid out on a manageable scale, and many of the city's key sights, cafés and hotels sit within comfortable walking distance of one another. Walking is often the fastest way to move between nearby points in the centre, and it saves you the trouble of figuring out which bus or metro station to use.
Pedestrian infrastructure has been receiving attention: pedestrian walkways have been repaired and repainted, and traffic lights with sound signals for visually impaired pedestrians have been installed, with all newly installed traffic lights since 2022 including sound signals. Some traffic lights operate in "pedestrian call" mode, where you press to request a crossing. If you are walking in the centre, look for these call buttons at certain crossings.
Public transport stops are numerous across the city, and a number of them in Kentron have been upgraded with new shelters in recent years, so waiting for a bus or trolleybus in the centre is generally more comfortable than it once was.
Getting from the Airport into the City
Yerevan's main airport lies outside the central district, so you will need a transfer to reach Kentron. The practical options are a taxi or ride-hailing car, or a bus or minibus service if one is running on your arrival schedule. Taxis and ride-hailing are the most straightforward: book through an app for a fixed price, or use an official taxi rank at the airport, and you will be dropped at your accommodation in the centre.
Because airport bus and minibus services can change route numbers, timings and operators, and because the source material for this guide does not specify them, confirm the current airport transport options on arrival — at the airport information desk or through your accommodation — rather than relying on older guidebooks. If you arrive late at night, a pre-booked taxi or ride-hailing car is the most reliable way into Kentron.
Practical Tips for Visitors
- Use the metro for fast cross-city hops and buses or trolleybuses for local surface journeys; the two connect well in the centre.
- Expect unified electronic ticketing across modes rather than cash fares — check locally for how to buy and reload.
- Prefer buses over minibuses where possible; the bus fleet is newer, larger and fully ramp-equipped.
- Walk whenever you can in Kentron — it is compact, and pedestrian crossings increasingly have sound signals and call buttons.
- Use ride-hailing apps for taxis to get fixed prices and avoid language issues.
- If you drive, remember that paid parking applies on main streets in Kentron, with electric vehicles exempt.
- For airport transfers, book a taxi or ride-hailing car, and verify current bus or minibus options on arrival.