New Shuttle Train to Kiev Boryspil Airport Planned

February 12, 2007

For over six years Ukrainian officials have been wanting to establish a shuttle train route between Kiev city and nearby Boryspil airport, the country's international hub. Now, it seems the project will at long last be carried out. It has not yet been decided which of the possible variants will be used (overground electric train, underground train extending from city subway system, or overground monorail train), but $100 million USD has been allotted for the project, which should be completed in the next couple years.

Most likely is an above-ground electric train that connects the airport to Darnytsia train station on the Left Bank (i.e. the east half of the city). The train will have at most three stops.

Kiev's Boryspil airport has been expanding since 2000 and has now reached the size of a small-town American airport terminal. The number of flights has been rising year by year and the airport and adjacent parking lot are usually overcrowded. Boryspil is 15 kilometers from the southeast edge of Kiev and the nearest metro station ("Boryspilska").

Several years ago a first-class road was built from Kiev to Boryspil, and people can reach the airport by bus (20 UAH, or $4 USD) from several places around the city, or by taxi (starting at 100 UAH, or $20).

A number of other airports around Ukraine have been undergoing some development as well, but airport infrastructure in general remains extremely outdated.

- more about flights and airports in Ukraine

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