Ukraine relaunches railroad transportation after months-long lockdown

Ukraine’s state-run railroad monopoly Ukrzaliznytsia relaunched most of national passenger railroad transportation on June 1, following two and a half months in stasis due to COVID-19 quarantine restrictions.

The company launched 35 inter-city connections between Kyiv and most of the country’s major cities except for Lviv, Rivne, Ternopil, Chernivtsi, Zhytomyr, Chernihiv, and Mykolaiv, as well as for Russian-occupied Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk. These regions weren’t approved for a re-launch of railroad transportation due to the higher number of active COVID-19 cases.

According to the country’s Infrastructure Minister Vladyslav Krikliy, the first to take off on June 1 was the morning bullet train Intercity+ between Kyiv and Kostyantynivka, the city in northern Donetsk Oblast.

Throughout June 4, thirteen more nationwide destinations are expected to become available for passenger rides.

Besides, as many as 439 sub-urban trains were opened on June 1 across the country, according to the company.

Despite the national quarantine eased off gradually, some restrictions will remain in place, according to the Ukrzaliznytsia head Ivan Yuryk.

“We call upon passengers to stay responsible and comply with recommendations for railroad transportation,” the official asserted on June 1.

“In particular, this includes social distancing and mask wearing, and staying home in case of revealed acute respiratory symptoms. For the duration of quarantine restrictions, each sub-urban train will be having an attendant checking on the fulfillment of these demands.”

The company also noted that only 50 percent of seats would be available for booking, out of the necessity to ensure social distancing in intercity train carriages.

“We met the needs of passengers, understanding that not everyone can afford booking a seat in a compartment carriage or in two-person first-class coaches,” the Ukrzaliznytsia head Ivan Yuryk also said. “Two out of four seats in economy-class сompartments, in addition to one side seat, will be available.”

Ukraine terminated all passenger transportation, including railroad connections and bus services, starting from midnight March 17 due to nationwide lockdown amid expanding coronavirus pandemic.

On May 20, Prime Minster Denys Shmygal eventually declared Ukraine would start relaunching passenger railroad and automobile transportation starting from June 1, while air traffic is expected to be unblocked on June 15.

According to the country’s Cabinet of Ministers, the national railroad monopoly lost at least Hr 7 billion ($260 million) in the first financial quarter of the year 2020.