Since the start of the pandemic, international rail passenger services have been completely suspended to contain the spread of the virus. It took almost a year and a half until Ukrainian Railways began to resume the running of trains in the direction of Europe. We will tell you where you can go by train today.

Mysterious Slovakia

Slovakia offers tourists perfectly preserved architecture: Spiš Castle (the largest castle in the country), Trenčiansky Castle (the most beautiful building of the 11th century), the remains of Devin Castle, located on a rock, Bojnice Castle or as it is also called "haunted castle", covered with many legends , the village-museum Vlkolinets is a place completely unaffected by modern buildings. And of course Bratislava, where you can explore the old town, the main square, palaces and castles of different architectural styles.

Railway communication between Ukraine and Slovakia resumed on July 1, 2021. The train Mukachevo-Kosice runs daily – travel time is about 4 hours. Chop-Kosice and Chop-Chierna nad Tisou are also available until December 11.

Today fully vaccinated Ukrainians can freely enter Slovakia. If it has been at least 14 days, but not more than 12 months after you received the second dose of the two-dose vaccine, you do not need tests or quarantine. Those who have not been vaccinated must go into self-isolation for a period of 10 days, with the possibility of stopping it early on the fifth day.

Hungary: relaxation for body and soul

Hungary is famous not only for its good architecture, but also for its medicinal waters and thermal springs. There are more than 60 thousand of them in the country. It is in Hungary that Europe's only curative bath in the Miskolc caves and the well-known lake Heviz of natural volcanic origin with curative water are located. More than 100 balneological resorts with carbon dioxide sources operate on the territory of the country, where people from different countries of the world come for treatment.

By train, which departs from the Central Kyiv Railway Station at 14:07 and is already in Budapest at 8:20, you can get to Hungary.

According to the rules, entry into Hungary by land is possible without providing a test or vaccination certificate. But, if you are unvaccinated, you will still need a negative test result to board the train.

To Moldova for gastronomic pleasure

Moldova is known for all its wine and gastronomic tours. You will be amazed by the 200-kilometer wine cellars of Cricova and Malye Milesti, wineries in Ialoveni, Beltci, wineries of the largest enterprises Vismos and Aroma, endless wine cellars. You can taste the wonderful Moldovan wine, known far beyond the borders of the country, and Moldovan national dishes: mamalyga (a dish of corn flour served with meat, cheese and sour cream), placinda (delicious cakes of different shapes and with different fillings), puff pastry vertuty, grilled meat sausages Metitea and Sarmale (analogue of Ukrainian cabbage rolls and Balkan dolma).

Only 4 hours on the Odessa-Chisinau train separate Ukrainians from Moldovan gastronomic temptations.

Crossing the Moldovan border is possible with a vaccination certificate in Diia (digital or paper), with an international vaccination certificate from a doctor or on the basis of a negative PCR test or antigen validity period of 72 and 48 hours, respectively.

For cultural entertainment in Austria

Austria is worth visiting in order to see and hear Viennese opera, stroll along the Ringstrasse – a street built in the shape of a horseshoe, taste the unsurpassed Viennese coffee, visit the homeland of Mozart – Salzburg, go down to the Eisriesenwelt caves, which are a whole complex of grottoes, caves and galleries with hundreds of stalactites and stalagmites And, of course, it is impossible to visit Austria and not try yourself at the famous Austrian ski resorts.

The convenient Kyiv-Vienna train has been operating since June 1, 2021.

Fully vaccinated Ukrainians can cross the Austrian border without quarantine. The country accepts all vaccines used in Ukraine, as well as vaccination certificates in the Diia app, paper certificates from the Diia portal with a QR code and paper certificates from a family doctor. In the absence of vaccination, you can enter Austria with a negative PCR test result, not older than 72 hours, or an antigen test, not older than 48 hours, and undergo a 10-day quarantine.

To Poland for natural wonders

Poland is a country with wonderful natural views: shifting sand dunes in Leba, “Polish Sahara” – Blendowska Desert, incredibly beautiful and large lake “Morskie Oko” located along high mountains. It will also be interesting to visit one of the oldest salt mines in the city of Wieliczka (a monument of underground architecture and sculptural art), walk along the longest pedestrian shopping street in Poland in the city of Lodz, visit the museum in Auschwitz created on the territory of the former concentration camp, which is also a memorial to the memory of the second world war.

The railway connection with Poland had to wait for a year and a half. But already today trains run in the directions Kyiv-Lviv-Przemysl and Kyiv-Warsaw, and several more new directions for 2022 have been announced.

Entry to Poland for tourism purposes is permitted. But to avoid quarantine, you need to have a full course of vaccination with one of the vaccines approved in the European Union. In other cases, you will have to comply with quarantine for at least 7 days.