In the summer of 2026, numerous services for finding gasoline in Russia appeared. In particular, they were launched by Sber and Yandex, and now the MAX messenger has stepped in. In Chita, a pilot electronic queue system was launched at one of the gas stations: you can now reserve your place in the refueling queue in advance through the state messenger and arrive at the designated time with a QR code. This is not a separate Android app or a complex technology — it’s a bot inside the messenger, but the entire system relies on the smartphone. Let’s break down how it works and who should actually pay attention to this.
Learning how to buy gasoline through MAX
Why Gasoline Is Being Sold Through MAX
The pilot was announced by Alexander Osipov, the governor of Zabaykalsky Krai. At one gas station in Chita, a pilot project for creating electronic refueling queues using QR codes through the MAX messenger was launched. The project currently operates at one specific location, not across the entire region.
Instead of a physical queue with on-site waiting, the driver books a time in advance. According to the governor, gas stations with regular queues will also remain, and the goal is to make the refueling process calm and convenient for people by offering different options. In other words, the electronic queue is an additional way to purchase fuel, while also encouraging people to install the MAX messenger.
How to Buy Gasoline Through MAX
The entire process is built around a special bot in MAX. The procedure described by the governor works as follows:
- Register with the “Fuel 75” bot in the MAX messenger.
- Submit a request for the following day.
- Choose a time slot and fuel type.
- Receive a QR code if the limit for the selected time hasn’t been reached yet.
- Arrive at the gas station on the designated day and refuel by showing the code to the attendant.
In Zabaykalye, you need to use a bot to get in the gasoline queue
Refueling is available at the DEKS gas station located at 3v Lenin Street; if the limit hasn’t been reached, you’ll immediately receive a QR code that lets you come on the designated day and refuel without waiting in line. Essentially, this is advance booking via QR code — similar to an electronic ticket at a clinic, but for gasoline.
Restrictions on Buying Gasoline in MAX
The system was designed from the start to prevent abuse through multiple registrations. If a driver successfully refuels, they can only request a new QR code after six days. This is a direct limit on refueling frequency, not a minor technical detail.
Additionally, the system won’t allow a single vehicle to register multiple times in a row, will automatically account for established limits, and will provide priority registration for eligible categories of citizens. In other words, one vehicle is tied to one active registration, and some slots are reserved for priority groups. It’s also worth keeping the topic of fines in mind. Previously, the Ministry of Internal Affairs responded to driver complaints about fines for parking in gas station queues, so electronic registration partly addresses the problem of car congestion near gas stations.
Is It Worth Installing MAX to Buy Gasoline
If you live in Chita and refuel at that specific gas station, trying the bot registration makes sense — it’s a legal way to avoid standing in a physical queue and risking a parking fine. For everyone else, this is more of a signal about where the fuel situation is heading rather than a call to action, and if you don’t use MAX, installing it just for refueling is definitely not worth it yet.
If there’s a reason to install MAX, it’s only for gasoline
It’s important to realistically assess the scale: this is a test pilot at a single location, not a ready-made service for the entire country. According to the governor, if testing proves effective, the system’s coverage will be expanded — but for now, this is only a stated plan, not a fact. The physical queue hasn’t gone anywhere, so installing MAX for refueling is only justified where the system is actually operational.
