On September 14, Syria’s Ministry of Energy raised the prices of petroleum products by 25–40%. The price of a liter of 95-octane gasoline rose from 152 to 195 Syrian pounds, 90-octane gasoline now costs 185 pounds, and diesel costs 175 pounds, up from 125. With the exchange rate at around 143 pounds to the dollar, the decision quickly affected residents’ day-to-day expenses.
Students, civil servants and low-income families have felt the impact most acutely: fares for city transport and intercity trips have risen. Rahaf, a student, said she pays 500 pounds to travel from the coastal town of Baniyas to her university in Latakia and back—a journey of about 50 km. The expense is a strain on her family, whose main source of income is farming. Wael now pays 45 pounds instead of 35 for a minibus from Sheikh Khaled on Jabal Qasioun to Al-Hurriya Bridge in Damascus. With a monthly salary of no more than 13,000 pounds, he spends around 2,700 on transport. Abu Majid, who lives in the suburb of Qudsaya, pays 80 pounds instead of 65 for a trip to Damascus and spends up to 480 pounds a day for himself and his two sons, who are students.
Drivers are also unhappy, despite the fare increases. Saeed, who drives a minibus on the Qudsaya–Damascus route, says the rise in diesel prices is putting pressure on both passengers and carriers, while passenger numbers have fallen sharply. Most people who still travel have no choice—mainly civil servants and students. Taxi driver Ammar says the number of fares has dropped by more than a third. Many drivers wait for passengers on main streets and near markets, while people opt for public transport instead of taxis. He says not only gasoline but also spare parts, repairs and motor oil have become more expensive, forcing drivers to work fewer hours.
Abdel Razzaq Habza, secretary of the Syrian Consumer Protection Society, estimates that fares have risen by an average of about 25% following the fuel price increases. He says vehicle owners raised fares almost immediately, with serious consequences for people already facing difficult living conditions. Another factor is the weakening of the Syrian pound: when trading opened on Saturday, the dollar was quoted at 143.50 pounds for sale and 142.75 for purchase, compared with 132.20 and 131.80 on September 10. The Central Bank of Syria, however, kept the official rate at 122.50 and 121.50 pounds to the dollar.
Transport costs are rising especially sharply for families with students and working adults. Many private car owners have started cutting back on trips and using public transport more often to save on gasoline. This is changing city dwellers’ habits and putting further pressure on household budgets, where even a small increase in fares means giving up other expenses.
Higher transport costs are also affecting goods: shipping between provinces and within cities has become more expensive. Habza estimates that prices could rise by about 10% for dairy products and cheese, and by 15–20% for detergents, as deliveries from central markets and warehouses to neighborhood shops become costlier. He warns that further price increases may follow, noting that the Ministry of Energy described the fuel price rise as temporary. For now, however, the market remains under strain.
The Ministry of Energy says the decision was prompted by an “exceptional increase” in global costs for securing petroleum products, as well as ongoing maintenance at the Baniyas refinery. The ministry said the price adjustment was temporary and due to exceptional circumstances. The market’s daily demand for diesel is around 7.72 million liters: 3.09 million liters are produced domestically, while 4.63 million liters are imported—meaning about 60% of supplies depend on imports.
Comments on the News
- Why does the Syrian pound’s market exchange rate differ so sharply from the Central Bank’s official rate, and how does this gap affect residents’ actual incomes and the prices they pay? — In wartime Syria, amid sanctions, currency shortages and a fragmented economy, several exchange rates coexist: the Central Bank’s official rate, rates for certain imports and government transactions, and the “parallel” market rate, set in cash markets, exchange offices and through money transfers. The official rate is often maintained administratively and does not reflect the real scarcity of dollars and euros. As a result, the market rate has a greater effect on the prices of imported goods, fuel, medicine and transport. For households, this means that wages and pensions in pounds lose value faster than official prices rise; real incomes fall, while the gap between rates creates distortions, shortages and informal markups. Official statistics may lag behind the market, so people rely on the “street” rate.
- How are city and intercity minibus services organized in Syria, and who actually sets fares when drivers and passengers complain about rising costs? — Minibuses remain the main form of public transport. City routes are run by private drivers and small companies, while intercity services operate from bus stations and garages, often through route associations. Formally, fares are approved by the Ministry of Transport and governorate transport authorities, with the participation of transport unions. In practice, however, prices depend heavily on the cost of diesel and spare parts, checkpoint levies and informal payments. Drivers and route associations therefore often raise fares unilaterally, while enforcement remains weak. As a result, official fares and the amounts actually charged diverge, and passengers bear the higher costs.
- Why does Syria import around 60% of its diesel if it has domestic refining capacity, and what constraints prevent it from increasing production? — Syria’s refineries are old, worn out and damaged by war. Their capacity and processing capabilities are insufficient to meet demand, and some equipment cannot be repaired because of shortages of spare parts, investment and electricity. Crude oil production and supplies are unstable, while sanctions and banking and insurance restrictions make it difficult to purchase equipment, secure financing and import necessary components. So despite having refining capacity, the country must import a significant share of the diesel used for transport, generators and heating. Increasing domestic production would require capital, technology, reliable crude supplies and the removal of logistical constraints.
- What is the Syrian Consumer Protection Society, and how do its representative Abdel Razzaq Habza’s estimates of increases in transport and goods prices compare with official statistics and real market conditions? — It is a consumer advocacy organization that handles complaints, monitors prices and protects buyers’ rights; it is not an official statistical agency. Habza’s estimates are generally based on field observations and market surveys, and may reflect the informal economy more accurately than the official price index, which can lag behind, exclude some goods and rely on administrative data. However, these estimates should be treated as indicative. They need to be checked against data from the Central Bureau of Statistics, the Ministry of Trade and independent monitoring organizations, since the society’s sampling methods and market coverage may be limited.
Full article: تقديرات بارتفاعها 25 بالمئة.. فاتورة النقل تربك حركة السوريين