Ukraine - General Information

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Country Name

Ukraine (Україна)

National Railway System

The State Administration of Railway Transport of Ukraine "Ukrzaliznytsia" - Українські Залізниці [УЗ].

Until the break-up of the Soviet Union, the Ukrainian railways were an integral part of its broad-gauge network. Since independence in 1991, it has evolved technically and operationally in accordance with the changing national political and economic framework, in which road competition has increased significantly, and some minor rail services have been withdrawn. Nevertheless they remain an important part of the national transport infrastructure, and investment continues, notably in renovating major stations.

National Railway Operator

Ukrainski Zaliznytsi (UZ)

Languages

Ukrainian and Russian are officially recognised. Both are written in Cyrillic characters, but the Ukrainian alphabet includes several characters not used in Russian. This site uses the official Ukrainian (as opposed to the former Russian) geographic names. The Ukrainian National Transliteration (UNT) is used for the transliteration of Ukrainian Cyrillic, as recommended by the Ukrainian authorities.

Railway tickets are normally issued from computer terminals and may be issued in either language, depending on how the passenger requests it.

Currency

Hrivna (UAH) = 100 kopeks

UIC code

numeric 22; alpha UA

Timetable

Journey Planner

A journey planner is available for main line trains on the UZ website.

It is also possible to use the CIS journey planner although this renders Ukrainian names in Russian form, with sometimes strange transliterations such as Harkov for Kharkiv.

For local and suburban trains (Elektrychka);

  • Local and Suburban trains. Select 'Ukrzaliznica (Ukrain) Direction' and choose the required service from the dropdown list. This displays a timetable for that service.

For 'Schedule of Suburb Trains between Stations' and 'Station name (alphabetical list of stations and platforms by Geography)' it may be necessary to use the Ukrainian or Russian language pages and enter the place names in Ukrainian or Russian Cyrillic.

Or each region has its own journey planner: some English links appear to be broken with Cyrillic only. Place names for some services may need to be entered in Cyrillic

Downloadable Timetable

The links previously given on the UZ Web site at www.uz.gov.ua/?m=services.transppl.schedule and in English on the unofficial site at www.ts.kiev.ua/kiev/transpor/train/tte.htm no longer work. Any current information would be appreciated by the compilers; please visit Contacts for details of how to send any information to the Guide.

Timetable information for local services (in Cyrillic script) is available as follows:

The following regions also have individual train schedules for long distance services running over their tracks:

Printed Timetable

The complete public timetable is normally available only to railway staff. Summary printed timetables for main and local trains were sold in the relevant areas in the past, but these may no longer be available. Schedules of stopping services are posted at the stations concerned.

Engineering Information

As trains run infrequently, engineering work is usually carried out when no trains are scheduled to run. Major changes may be shown on the home pages of the relevant regions.

There are many changes to long distance services owing to ongoing engineering work around Ternopil.

Maps

Printed Maps

  • Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova Railway Atlas) by Quail Map Company. A comprehensive atlas of the Ukrainian rail network (and that of Belarus) in English and German, which records the evolution of the network and place-names on it, published December 1995 but now out of print.
  • Inexpensive plans of major cities at e.g. 1:20,000 (unfortunately lacking urban transport information) are published by the "Kartographia" company - see: www.ukrmap.com.ua.
  • Україна атлас залізниць (Ukraina atlas zalisnyts’) from 2008 printed by Картографія (ISBN 978-966-475-082-7).
  • European Railway Atlas by M.G. Ball (2008 onwards)

Web-based Maps

Ticketing

It is now possible to make reservations and buy tickets for some services by means of the new Reservation / purchase travel documents system.

Infrastructure

Infrastructure Authority

Not known but presumably the State Administration of Railway Transport of Ukraine "Ukrzaliznytsia" - Українські Залізниці [УЗ].

Network Statement

None known

Gauge

Broad (1520mm), except for a few standard-gauge links across the western borders. Over the years, many former narrow-gauge lines (750 mm) have been replaced by broad-gauge tracks, but a few with sparse passenger services still remain (Rudnytsia - Haivoron - Holovanivs’k, Vinohradiv-Zak. - Kmelnik [cut back from Irshava) and Antonivka - Zarichne).

Electrification

3kV dc and 25kV 50Hz. At transition points such as L’viv, Pyatikhatky Stykova and Tymkove, the power supply to the catenary is switchable to enable locomotives of through trains to be changed. Some dual-voltage motive-power is available, but single-voltage equipment is still in production.

The routes carrying the heaviest traffic are already electrified. The first electrification, at 3kV dc, was between Zaporizhia and Kryvyi Rih, in 1935. After 4 years' experience with an initial 23 km route between Kiev and Boyarka, the next stage began in 1954 with electrification of local passenger services around Kiev, and this was followed within a few years by implementation of a plan for extensive main-line electrification, also at 3 kV. Within a decade, however, it became evident that the 25kV 50Hz system was more economical, and this was adopted for all new installations, except where interworking with existing 3kV operation would then be too inconvenient. As the network around Kiev would otherwise be a 3kV 'island' surrounded by 25kV, it was converted to 25kV in October 1967, just before inauguration of through electric haulage between Kiev and Moscow. Recently, the highest priority has been to complete electrification of major through routes, notably that between Kyiv and Kharkiv via Myrhorod and Poltava.

Rule of the road

Right, but note some sections of track are equipped for running in either direction.

Distances

No authoritative source known

Other public railways

None (note that the industrial railways at mines, steelworks etc. are part of UZ).

Tourist lines

As in other parts of the former Soviet Union, several cities in the Ukraine have a public narrow-gauge railway that combines a hobby activity for teenagers with practical training in railway operation. These 'Dyetsky Zelegny Dorogy' (DZD) typically operate on a few km of track in a public park on weekends between 1 May and the start of the new school year. For details, see the Web site (partly in English) railways.id.ru/towns/towns.html.

There are small railway museums located at Kyiv passazhirskyi and behind the main passenger station at Donetsk.

Metro

Dniepropetrovs’k, Kyiv, Kharkiv. All networks have plans for further extensions, but implementation of them is hindered by lack of funding.

Metro track maps are available at Popov Metro maps captioned in Cyrillic.

Trams

City networks in Kharkiv, Kyiv, Kryvyi Rih (where there is a separate, partly underground, rapid transit line 11.6 km long), L’viv, Odesa, etc. - see LRTA World Systems List - Ukraine.

Recent and Future Changes

Future Changes

In January 2021 it was announced that it was still intended to electrify from Korosten' to the Belarus border, as previously announced.

The new 19 km railway bridge over the Strait of Kerch, linking Russia with the Crimea, will now open at Christmas 2019. A daily Moskva - Rostov - Simferopol service will commence on 24 December and a St Peterburg - Rostov - Simferopol - Sevastopo train on 23 December. This area is now of course under de facto Russian control.

Additional cross border routes to Poland have been suggested as candidates for reopening. These include via Rawa-Russka, Kroscienko - Chirów and Przemysl - Nizankowice - [Chirów].

A new standard gauge platform named Mukachevo Zachidna has been built 500 m from the broad gauge station. A through service to Budapest via Chop is to be introduced . UZ wished this to start on 24 August 2018 (Independence Day) but it is now expected to start on 9 December 2018. There were suggestions it might continue via the mixed gauge corridor route to Satu Mare in Romania, but there is no sign of this at present.

On 17 August 2018 the Ukrainian Government announced that all public transport links to Russia by rail and bus would be cut from an unspecified date. It is thought that only two border crossings now carry rail traffic.

Recent Changes (latest first)

In January 2021 it was announced that the electrification of the Zhytomyr to Kororsten' railway had been completed.

On 10 July 2020 UZ extended train 20 Kiev to Lysychansk a further 30kms to Popasna. They may have extended local trains as well, and if not yet are likely to do in the future.

In 2020 advised no services on the Khutir-Mykhailivs'kyi - Esman' branch and the line is OOU. Also Luzhny to Stefaneshty, Vyhnanka to Borschiv (or on to Ivane-Puste or the Skala branch), Voronkivtsi to Shepetivka. On the Tavriysk to Enerhodar line from Km2 to Enerhodar now has no service. Pohrebyshche to Khrystynivka reported as reinstated. In the disputed Donbas area it is reported, but not confirmed. that a service has started between Donets'k and Olenivka. Also reported is that services are now extended south to Feol'na to Skotuvata, Mushketove to Laryne is reinstated and the Krasna Mohyla to Faschchivka service is now extended to Debaltseve.

In January 2019 passenger traffic on the NG line from Haivoron to Holovanivs'k was suspended. Track lifting was reported to have started in April 2020.

A new 4 km branch going south from a junction between Chubynskiy and Boryspil, on the Kyiv – Poltava main line, to Kyiv Boryspil airport opened on 30 November 2018. There is an approximately hourly service around the clock to and from Kyiv Pasazhyrskiy station, with an end to end journey time of 38 minutes. The trains make an intermediate call at Darnytsia.

A replacement Beskyd Tunnel opened on 25 May 2018 to eliminate a single track section on the otherwise double-track Pan-European Corridor V between L'viv and the Hungarian/Slovakian border at Chop. The replacement tunnel is 1.7km long, work began in November 2013.

The remaining three days a week Narrow Gauge service from Kmil'nyk to Vynohradiv apparently ceased running after 9 December 2017 although allegedly this section plus beyond Kmil'nyk to Irshava and from Kmil'nyk to the Depot at Berehowo remain available for charters.

On 11 August 2017 the Russian railways announced completion of the new double track line between Zhuravka and Millerovo, which bypasses a section of the existing line passing through eastern Ukraine, resulting in the closure of two border crossings.

As Ukrainian citizens no longer needed a Visa to visit the EU with effect from June 2017, daytime services were been introduced then increased on existing cross border routes to Poland.

An agreement was signed in October 2015 to reopen the Basarabeasca (Moldova) - Berezyne line, closed to all traffic in 1997 and lifted in 1999. The work was to be done in 2017 but has been postponed owing to lack of funding. This line would have enabled traffic between the two countries to avoid passing through the breakaway territory of Transnistria.

Owing to the political situation resulting in difficult relations with Russia, from 18 April 2014 all trains changed locomotives at the border and customs & immigration formalities take longer. In addition, all passenger traffic with Crimea has been terminated and the border crossings at Tetkino, Vorozhba, Volfino, Odnorobova and Lantrativka closed to passengers.

Larha – Sokyriany – Ocniţa (Moldova) and Vynnitsia – Ziatkivtsi – Haivoron lost their long distance services at the timetable change on 28 May 2012, although the former retains a local service.

in 2011/12 Passenger services were withdrawn between Antonivka – Zarične, Birky-Velyki - Skalat, Čortkiv - Bučač, Savro - Terny and the entire Savro – Musiivka line, Rodakovo – Lutuhyne, Part] Dolja - Menčuhove, Mospyne - Makiïvka-Gruzovoj, Cukuryne - Kurachivka and Legendarna – Dubove. The lines Trylisy – Snitynka and Trylisy – Z.p. Paljanyčynci closed completely.

Electrification of Poltava - Kremenchug was completed in 2011 and of Poltava – Lozova at the start of 2012.

Special notes

The Ukrainian railway network UZ consists of six regional divisions: Lvivska (Western part of Ukraine), Pivdenno-Zakhidna (Central and Northern part), Odes'ka (Southern part), Pivdenna (North-East part), Donetska (Eastern part) and Prydniprovska (South-East part). Trackside signs indicate divisional boundaries, and some services on cross country routes now terminate at the Regional boundary towns, reducing through journey opportunities.

In 2000 UZ transported a total of 498.7 million people over 141.1 billion passenger-km (1999: 486.8 million passengers and 130.4 billion passenger-km). They also hauled a total of 472.2 billion tonne-km of freight (1999: 428.3 billion tonne-km).

Passenger services on the Ukrainian railway network are either local or long distance. In principle, three classes of accommodation are available on long distance trains:

  • “platskarts”: equivalent to 3rd class; open carriages
  • “kupe”: equivalent to 2nd class; compartments for 4 people
  • “spalny vagon”: equivalent to 1st class; compartments for 2 people

Local services centred on major cities are operated with EMUs (typically hard class only) and run relatively frequently during business hours, stopping at most or all stations and halts en route. As reservations are neither required nor available for travel by them, they have separate ticket offices (and indeed, separate platforms at major stations).

Long-distance services within the broad-gauge area consist of several coaches, which can be converted into sleeping accommodation for use overnight, and hauled by locomotives. Advance reservation is required for all travel by these trains.

International passenger services using through sleeping coaches whose bogies are replaced at the border station run overnight between major stations in the Ukraine and Warsaw, Berlin, Budapest etc. The first UZ and PKP sleeping coaches equipped with variable-gauge axles have been running three times a week between Kyiv and Krakow since 14 December 2003; the time taken by the transition (at Mostys’ka2) is about 3 hours less than that required to replace the bogies.

Information on rail travel : see "Russia by rail, with Belarus & Ukraine," by Athol Yates, Bradt Publications, 1996, ISBN 0-7627-0008-4.

Other General Information

Useful Terminology and Abbreviations

z.p. [zupynnyi punkt; "зупинний пункт" in Ukrainian] and o.p. [ostanovochniy punkt; "oстановочный пункт" in Russian] mean "halt" - in terms of a station.

rzd. [roz'ïzd; "роз'їзд" in Ukrainian, or raziezd; "разъезд" in Russian] means "passing loop".

Note that these abbreviations are always written in lower case.

Rolling Stock

For UZ rolling stock, see www.railfaneurope.net/list/ukraine.html (includes hyperlinks to stock tables). Index of Ukraine rail web sites:www.railway.te.ua/ua_en.htm?showtype=all.

Passenger train classification and numbering

Throughout the broad-gauge network of the former Soviet Union, long-distance passenger trains are numbered in the range below 1000, in many cases followed by a letter. The most important trains are numbered below 100. In principle, each train whose destination is to the south and/or west of its origin bears an odd number; the corresponding return working bears the following even number. Note that some run only on alternate days (always odd or even dates at a particular station en route). The schedule for each can be consulted on-line by entering the train number. Local passenger trains are generally numbered in the 6xxx range.

It was reported in January 2012 that UZ is introducing a new system of train classification:

  • IC+ : trains between 90-200 kph, 1st + 2nd class
  • IC : trains between 80-160 kph, 1st + 2nd (+ 3rd class)
  • RE : trains between 70-140 kph, (1st) + 2nd + 3rd class
  • R : trains between 50-140 kph, 2nd + 3rd class
  • NE : trains between 70-200 kph, RIC, luxury sleeping cars, coupe
  • NF : trains between 50-140 kph, sleeping cars, coupe
  • NP : trains between 50-140 kph, (sleeping cars), coupe
  • S : Suburban train
  • C : City train

Trackside features

Many of the trackside features found elsewhere (gradient boards, speed limits...) are absent on UZ. And the names of all but the most important stations appear only once, typically on the facade of the main building. Only a few major stations have pedestrian subways; elsewhere passengers must cross the tracks on the level (taking care to avoid trains). Note that:

  • Kilometer posts bear two consecutive figures (the lower on the side nearest "0"); on some main routes they show the distance from the corresponding terminus in Moscow (eg about 1750 km near Tchop).
  • The name of each noteworthy river is shown on a blue board situated a few metres before a bridge over it.

See also