The new city train in Kyiv, despite all its advantages, was rather stressful for those passengers who dared to ride it the first day after its Oct. 4 launch.
People at the station, older ones especially, couldn’t understand where to buy the ticket, to whom to show it when it is bought and why trains from the same platform go off in opposite directions.
Basic information was absent: There are no maps or schedules in the carriages, and the voice announcing the next stop is indiscernible.
“I am so confused,” complained pensioner Yefrosinya Vinogradova at the Petrivka railway station. “How do I know, what direction will the train I get in follow?”
The city train is supposed to run daily from 6 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. with 15-17 minute interval.
Two of the 14 stations it stops at, “Borshchagovka” and “Darnytsya,” are called the terminals that define direction the train goes, though in fact it moves in a circle. As the KyivPost found out, it takes an hour and 45 minutes to ride the whole route.
Six of the stations are situated right next to the metro stations; moreover, the stations of all three metro branches are involved.
Student Anton Popov finds this train to be convenient, as it will help him to save a lot of time.
“I need to go to my university almost through the whole city and I used to going by metro and then by tram, which took really long,” said Popov, who, unlike Vinogradova, managed to orient himself so well that he was able to help others. “Now I can reach my classes just riding this train.”
One train conductor, who didn’t want to be named out of fear of retribution by supervisors, agreed that the new routes are a blessing, although the situation with tickets is unacceptable.
“We, conductors, are just temporary workers here,” the conductor said. “As soon as the turnstiles are installed and functioning, we will stop selling tickets in the train. But for now, everyone who didn’t buy the ticket in the ticket office and got in the train without it can buy it from me. Still, those who have got the tickets already are confused about what I am here for.”
One ticket for one ride costs Hr 1.70.
Also on the plus side, the carriages are roomy, brand new, tidy and, unlike the other public transport, the city train’s got some space for the bicycles in every carriage.
According to UkrZaliznytsya, the state railway service, it cost Hr 223 million to arrange all the infrastructure and trains to launch the project.
(Click the map to enlarge)
Kyiv Post staff writer Alyona Zhuk can be reached at [email protected].
