Air strikes on trains: Ukrainian Railways reveals how many carriages Russia has destroyed

Russian attacks on infrastructure have led to a reduction in Ukrzaliznytsia’s rolling stock — hundreds of carriages have been destroyed or damaged. Against this backdrop, the summer season is set to see a record shortage of seats, with up to six people competing for a single ticket. Find out how many carriages have been destroyed and what advice the operator is offering

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The constant shelling of Ukrainian infrastructure is having a serious impact on rail services. Ukrzaliznytsia (UZ) has reported on the loss of rolling stock due to Russian attacks and has warned passengers that the upcoming summer season is set to be extremely challenging. Due to the growing shortage of seats, Ukrainians will have to change their habits when planning journeys.

How many carriages has Russia destroyed during the war?

The scale of the railway’s losses has proved to be quite significant. During the full-scale invasion, 46 passenger carriages were completely destroyed as a result of direct enemy attacks.

However, this is only part of the problem. A further 200 carriages and one fully operational high-speed ‘Intercity+’ train are currently out of service awaiting repair. They have sustained serious damage due to regular shelling, attacks by strike drones and the collisions these have caused. The situation is further complicated by natural wear and tear on the fleet: 1,050 carriages are awaiting technical inspection and subsequent decommissioning due to their unserviceable condition and advanced age.

Train ticket shortage: travelling will be more difficult this summer

The reduction in the number of available carriages is occurring against a backdrop of rapidly growing demand. Ukrzaliznytsia emphasises that this summer season will be even more difficult for passengers and the carrier than the previous one.

On average, four people are vying for every available seat on a train. It is expected that at the height of the summer season, this ratio will increase to six people per seat. The situation is most critical on popular domestic routes. For example, the route from Lviv to Kyiv is breaking all records — almost 10,000 people search for tickets on this route every day (9,762 queries per day).

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How to buy a ticket for a Ukrzaliznytsia train

Given such a severe shortage, passengers need to plan ahead. Railway representatives have provided several key recommendations to help you organise your journey successfully:

1. Plan your journey in advance. The ideal option is to buy tickets exactly 20 days before the departure date, as soon as sales open.

2. Use the auto-purchase feature. If the ticket you need is not available, don’t waste time constantly refreshing the page; instead, set up auto-purchase in the app. Statistics confirm the effectiveness of this tool: since the start of the year, 150,000 passengers have been able to purchase around a million tickets thanks to this feature.

3. Don’t be afraid of routes with changes. If there are no direct tickets, plan routes with changes. It is particularly worth paying attention to regional trains, many of which are now equipped with modern air-conditioning systems.

You can also use the booking system on the Visit Ukraine portal. Buy tickets quickly and conveniently.

Train tickets abroad: alternative routes

For those planning international trips, the situation also calls for flexibility. Traditionally, the most popular destination — Polish cities — becomes overcrowded during the high season, and it is practically impossible to secure a ticket there.

As a convenient alternative, Ukrainian Railways strongly recommends considering airports in Moldova, Romania and Hungary. It is now much easier to buy train tickets to these countries, and transport links there are well-established.

Please note! The cost of a single journey in Kyiv is set to rise to 30 hryvnias. However, unlimited smart travel cards valid for 24, 48 and 72 hours are being introduced for visitors to the city. Find out how to save money on journeys and when the new fares will come into effect.

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