You're reading: Ukrzaliznytsia: Number of passengers on Ukrainian Express trains in August increases

The number of passengers who used the Ukrainian Express daily high-speed Intercity+ trains grew in August 2012, the press service of the State Railway Administration of Ukraine (Ukrzaliznytsia) has reported. 

The press service said that in particular, the number of first-class passengers on the Kharkiv-Kyiv-Kharkiv route grew by 3% in August 2012 on July 2012, and that for second-class passengers by 5%.

On the Lviv-Kyiv-Lviv route the number of passengers of Intercity+ trains in first class rose by 3% and for second class by 4%, while on the Donetsk-Kyiv-Donetsk route the number of passengers in first-class cars was up by 2% and in second-class by 5%.

The largest growth in numbers of passengers was seen in Donetsk-Kyiv train No. 154D (departure at 0450 p.m.). Compared to July, the occupancy of second-class cars in the said train grew by 9% and that for first-class cars by 3% in August.

Full occupancy of Ukrainian Expresses was seen before holidays and weekends. On the eve of the 21st anniversary of Ukraine’s impendence, the occupancy of the trains was the following: Kyiv-Kharkiv train No. 164O -100%, Kyiv-Donetsk trains No. 152K – 100% and Kyiv-Lviv train No. 169L – 99%.

According to tentative data from Ukrzaliznytsia specialists, the Kharkiv-Kyiv-Kharkiv route is of highest demand among Ukrainian Express trains, on which occupancy is around 80%. The average occupancy of the Lviv-Kyiv-Lviv and Donetsk-Kyiv-Donetsk routes was around 30% in August, and on certain days it grows to 50%.

“This is a positive pace,” the press service said, citing Head of Ukrainian High-Speed Railway Company Leonid Loboiko.

He said that at present all of the high-speed trains run in line with their schedules, and all of the technical problems that some times prevented the observation of the schedule had been resolved.

Since the start of the introduction of high-speed train services in Ukraine (May 27, 2012), around 240,000 people have used Ukrainian Express trains.

As reported, from August 14, 2012, passengers have been able to buy tickets for Ukrainian Express trains without paying value added tax.