Ukraine is actively developing railway connections with European Union countries. In just the last six months, new routes to the capital cities of neighboring states have emerged, making travel easier for Ukrainians.
This is reported by Rivne24
In the context of a full-scale war that has significantly complicated logistics, the railway has become a key artery for communication between Kyiv and European capitals. Today, Ukraine has railway connections with Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, Poland, Moldova, and Romania.
Connection with Moldova
Trains between Kyiv and Chișinău resumed operations in 2022 after a 24-year hiatus. The travel time is over 19 hours. The train departs from Kyiv at 16:54 and arrives in Chișinău at 12:29 the next day. In the opposite direction, the train leaves Chișinău at 17:05 and arrives in Kyiv at 12:18.
The route passes through Vinnytsia and Mohyliv-Podilskyi, and after crossing the border, it goes through Vălcineț, Ocnița, Bălți, and Ungheni. It is important to note that there is a convenient connection at the Ungheni station to the route to the Romanian city of Iași.
The cost of the trip from Kyiv to Chișinău is approximately 2400 hryvnias in a third-class carriage and 3350 hryvnias in a sleeper compartment.
Despite the long break in service, there was previously a train from Odesa to Chișinău, but it was suspended due to the route passing through the territory of the unrecognized Transnistria.
Connection with Romania
A direct train between Kyiv and Bucharest began operating on October 10. It departs from Kyiv at 6:25 and arrives in Bucharest at 6:47 the next day. In the opposite direction, the train leaves Bucharest at 19:10 and arrives in Kyiv at 19:41 the next day.
The travel time is just over a day, and the cost of a sleeper compartment is 3968 hryvnias. According to Ukrzaliznytsia, the demand for this route is significant: 2100 tickets were sold in the first two weeks.
Connection with Hungary and Slovakia
A daily train between Ukraine and Hungary has been operating for many years, running from Mukachevo to Budapest. However, the connection between the capitals was only restored on December 15, 2024. The route passes through Lviv, Mukachevo, and Chop in Ukraine, as well as Záhony, Nyíregyháza, Debrecen, and Szolnok in Hungary. The cost of travel is about 3000 hryvnias.
Recently, at the beginning of September, a European standard track was opened between the Chop and Uzhhorod stations, marking the first major project of its kind in Ukraine. The new section, 22 kilometers long, allowed the launch of a new train “Transcarpathia,” which connects Budapest, Bratislava, and Vienna.
From Uzhhorod to Bratislava, you can take train No. 961/618, which departs at 8:09 and arrives at 18:33. The return train No. 617/964 leaves Bratislava at 11:27 and arrives in Uzhhorod at 22:35.
As for ticket prices, they vary:
- from 1220 to 1802 hryvnias to Budapest;
- 2226 hryvnias to Bratislava;
- from 2221 to 3516 hryvnias depending on the class to Vienna.
Routes to Poland
Ukraine also has a direct connection with Poland, although transfers are necessary due to the difference in rail gauge. Train No. 67 from Kyiv to Warsaw will take about 14 hours, departing from Kyiv at 20:21 and arriving in Warsaw at 10:15 the next day. The train makes 13 stops along the route.
Tickets for this route cost from 1830 hryvnias. Starting October 15, 2023, a train has also been launched between Lviv and Warsaw with a transfer in Rava-Ruska. The ticket price starts from 2244 hryvnias.
Additionally, Ukrainians can reach the border town of Przemyśl from Odesa, Dnipro, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, as well as Kyiv, Ternopil, Lviv, and Chernivtsi.