Train Travel in Ukraine

What you do when you get on the train

Getting off the train in Ivano-Frankivsk

This topic deserves a page of its own, since riding Ukrainian trains involves complex procedures that foreigners are not prepared for, even if they have traveled by train in other countries. After reading this page you will know exactly what to expect from your ride on a Ukrainian train.

Riding electric trains, or "elektrichki"

With these short-distance trains everything is simple. You get on any carriage you like and sit anywhere. Seats are usually padded, but wooden benches are sometimes still in use. There is usually a toilet at the end of every few cars, but I recommend avoiding them when possible. Also, people sometimes smoke at the end of the carriage, so sit a bit closer to the middle if you are very sensitive to cigarette smoke.

Every once in a while a ticket officer comes through and checks tickets, so don't throw your ticket out after getting on the train.

Be careful! Electric trains often stop for as little as 30 seconds!

Riding long-distance trains in Ukraine

Long-distance trains stop for at least two minutes, and usually longer in large cities (10-20 minutes). Before the train pulls in, a loudspeaker will announce whether the numbering will be from the front or the tail of the train. Passengers check their carriage number on their tickets and take up position at the approximate location their carriage will stop at.

If you're getting on at the first stop, you will have half an hour to an hour to get on the train before it leaves.

Getting on the train
To board the train, find your carriage (the number of your "вагон" is indicated on your ticket) and show your ticket to the officer at the door. Often they ask to see your passport or other picture I.D. to check your name against the name on the ticket. Usually they return the ticket to you immediately, but sometimes they take it and remind you of your seat number. Helpers (friends and families) are allowed to enter as well, but they must leave a few minutes before departure.

Ticket collection
Several minutes after the train departs, the officer comes around to each compartment and gathers tickets (if he didn't take them at the entrance). For overnight connections, he/she will ask who is taking bedding (7-10 UAH) and collect money.

Storing luggage
The securest place to store luggage is underneath the bottom bunks. People traveling on top bunks also have the right to some of that space, but you may need to ask if there is room. Items can also be put on the top shelf, but never put valuables there. Either put them in the trunk under the bottom bunk or sleep with them on you. There are hooks for hanging up clothes, and a net for books and other items.

Safety tips
Before you get on the train, make sure you know where all of your valuables are, and plan to stow all of them in the luggage trunk or, say, rolled up in your pants between your pillow and the compartment wall. Train theft is a common occurence. If you have expensive shoes or a nice coat or jacket, hide them out of view or put them in the trunk. This applies mostly to 3rd class carriages where everything is in view of people who walk by.

Only 1st and 2nd class compartments have doors. There are both locks on the doors and latches to block doors from being opened from the outside even if they are unlocked.

Preparing beds
Except for first class carriages, passengers must make their own beds. After the officer passes out bedding in sealed packages, passengers pull mattresses off the top shelf and unroll them on their bunks. The top bunk often must be lowered to a horizontal position by unhooking the chain holding it in place. Bedding includes a top and a bottom sheet, a pillowcase, a towel, and sometimes a package of tissues. Wool blankets are available either on the top shelf or from the carriage officer.

Eating and drinking
Each compartment comes with a small table that passengers usually eat on. Most passengers bring food on board with them, but some can be bought from the carriage officer (tea, coffee, cookies, chips, beer, mineral water, etc.). In addition, most trains have a restaurant car with a small variety of dishes and alcohol. Usually there are a lot of semi-drunk men there hanging out together.

Food at train stops
A nice thing about Ukrainian trains is that old and not-so-old ladies sell all kinds of food at many train stops, including drinks, rolls and pirozhki with cabbage, potatoes, rice and whatever else. Some enterprising folks have begun selling seran-wrapped dinners with chicken and potatoes. In Crimea you can also buy smoked fish, local wines, and fruit. If you didn't have time to eat before getting on the train, you won't go hungry.

Drinking water
Potable water is available from carriage officers' sink, but water from the restrooms is not to be drunk.

Restroom use
Each carriage has two restrooms that may be used between stops. Waste is disposed directly onto the train tracks, so the bathrooms are usually locked 10 minutes before and after each city. Bathrooms are equipped with toilets, sinks (press a floor pedal or press up on the faucet for water), mirrors, clothing hooks, soap, and toilet paper. However, because of the shaking of the train, it can be hard to use these things. Sometimes the floor is dirty and you may find the bathroom unpleasant.

Smoking and drinking
Drunkenness, unfortunately, seems to be allowed on Ukrainian trains, unless people start falling off their bunks and peeing their pants. Smoking is allowed at one end of each carriage outside the doors (so in the section connection two carriages).

Changing clothes
When women need to change clothes, they usually ask the other passengers to leave the compartment. In 3rd class, however, this is impossible, so people either sleep in their clothes, change under the covers, or change in the bathroom.

Morning wake-up
Train officers will make the rounds in the morning about 45 minutes before stops and remind passengers to wake up and get ready. You are expected in most cases to gather your bedding, take it to the officer, and roll up your mattress.

Sleeping hints
You may want to consider wearing ear plugs and a face mask to help you sleep better in 3rd class carriages, as these are lighter and noisier than elsewhere. Also, sometimes snorers, talkative passengers, or crying children make it hard to sleep.

Temperature
Sometimes train cars can be unreasonably warm — mostly in the summer months, but also as a result of overheating in the winter. If this is the case, somebody needs to ask the train officer to turn on the ventilation or air conditioning (1st and 2nd class). I believe 3rd class doesn't have this. Usually the windows don't open, or if they do, passengers don't want the wind to blow on them, even if it is hot and stuffy in the compartment.

Hot and stuffy air is the worst part about Ukrainian trains and seems to occur about a third of the time. Occasionally, it gets cold, but this happens more rarely, and there are always wool blankets available.