Icon
Come back

2 min

15 Sep. 2024

14633

When do Ukrzaliznytsia tickets appear and how are they distributed by station?

Transport
Popular
Travel
Ukraine
When do Ukrzaliznytsia tickets appear and how are they distributed by station?

Ukrainians often face a lack of available seats on trains and the inability to buy tickets. Find out more about how the Ukrzaliznytsia ticket reservation system works and when the chances of finding a seat in a car are higher

Book bus, train, and plane tickets to/from Ukraine and between cities around the world
Book bus, train, and plane tickets to/from Ukraine and between cities around the world
BUY


In the summer of 2024, many Ukrainians complained about the lack of tickets on trains. It was extremely difficult to buy tickets even for the lowest seat classes. As Ukrzaliznytsia later explained, this problem was caused by high demand and a lack of railcars. How the Ukrzaliznytsia ticket booking system works and how to increase your chances of buying a ticket are described further in the article.

For a list of all international trains to and from Ukraine, as well as their schedules and prices, see our previous article.

When does ticket sales start?


“Ukrzaliznytsia opens ticket sales for domestic flights 20 days before the train departure, and this happens at exactly 8:00 am. This is the best time to buy a ticket because all seats in the carriage are available at the beginning. At the same time, special rules apply to international flights. For example, tickets for flights to Poland are opened at 9:00 am, and to Slovakia and Austria - from 8:00 am. As for flights to Moldova, the sale opens 30 days before departure at 08:00 am.

When do ticket sales close?


You can buy a ticket until the train leaves the station. This works both for buying a ticket at a station ticket office and online.




Visit Ukraine on social media: Telegram | YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | TikTok




How and when do new tickets and additional empty cars appear?


As explained by Ukrzaliznytsia in a commentary to Ekonomichna Pravda, ticket sales begin with the opening of one car of each type (SV, compartment, reserved seat). When there are fewer than four seats left in a particular type of car, Ukrzaliznytsia adds a new car of the same type. This is repeated until all seats are sold out.

How are tickets distributed between stations or why are there no seats available?


Ukrainians often face the fact that there are no tickets, for example, from Kyiv to Lviv for the Kyiv-Premysl train, but you can buy a ticket for the same train to Przemyśl. As explained by UZ, this is due to the fact that each station along the train's route is allocated a certain number of seats for all categories of cars. However, priority is given to ticket sales from the initial to the final station, regardless of whether it is the first or other day of ticket sales. The only exception is the last day before the train departure. Thus, if there are still tickets left the day before departure, the norms are lifted and all seats become available for all stations on the route.

“In other words, if there are 20 tickets from Kyiv to Lviv and 100 tickets to Przemyśl, then there are 100 tickets available for any station along the route in a day,” explains EP.

How does ticket monitoring work at UZ?


The Ukrzaliznytsia mobile application has a ticket monitoring function. The user can set up notifications, and when tickets for the required direction appear, he or she will immediately receive a message. In addition, through monitoring, it is possible to automatically purchase a ticket as soon as it becomes available. To do this, you need to log in to the application through Diia.Signature and pay for the ticket (the funds are returned to the account if the required tickets do not appear or if the user cancels the monitoring). However, keep in mind that automatic redemption does not work for trains to Poland (except for Intercity+) and for the Kyiv - Vienna route, for these flights you can only receive a notification when a ticket is available.

Tips to increase the chances of buying a ticket


1. Buy tickets immediately after the opening of sales (depending on the flight, this is 20-30 days before departure, at 08:00-09:00 am).

2. Use the monitoring function to receive notifications about new tickets and automatic purchases.

3. Check the availability of tickets the day before departure - the norms are removed.

We remind you! UZ together with LUN Misto launched a map of barrier-free stations for the convenience of people with disabilities. Read how this interactive map helps to plan routes and navigate stations in our previous article.


Want to know more? Read the latest news and useful materials about Ukraine and the world in the News section.




We recommend purchasing it for a safe and comfortable trip to Ukraine: 


Visit Ukraine Insurance – insurance covering military risks for entry and travel in Ukraine;

Visit Ukraine Car Insurance – car insurance with extended coverage in Ukraine;

Visit Ukraine Legal Advice – comprehensive legal support on entry to Ukraine;

Visit Ukraine Tickets – bus and train tickets to/from Ukraine;

Visit Ukraine Tours – the largest online database of tours to Ukraine for every taste;

Visit Ukraine Hotels – hotels for a comfortable stay in Ukraine;

Visit Ukraine Merch – patriotic clothing and accessories with worldwide delivery.




© 2018-2024, Visit Ukraine. Use, copying or reprinting of materials on this site is permitted only with a link (hyperlink for online publications) to Visit Ukraine.

All rights reserved.

Frequantly

asked questions

How do you know what seat you have in the car?

In reserved and compartment cars, odd numbers are the lower shelves, and even numbers are the upper shelves.

Where do Ukrzaliznytsia trains go abroad?

How long can I return a train ticket?

What happens to unredeemed tickets for the military?

Recommended articles

1 min

Transport Prices for railway tickets may increase: Ukrzaliznytsya wants to raise tariffs

Prices for railway tickets may increase: Ukrzaliznytsya wants to raise tariffs

Ukrzaliznytsya promises that Ukrainians will be able to buy train tickets at affordable prices until the end of the war. However, prices for some classes of trains may rise. Find out how the company plans to raise prices and for which trains

16 Aug. 2024

More details

3 min

Travel How much does it cost to come to Ukraine as a tourist: hotels, food, transportation, excursions

How much does it cost to come to Ukraine as a tourist: hotels, food, transportation, excursions

Although access to Ukraine for foreigners has become somewhat more difficult due to the ongoing war, Ukraine continues to attract tourists with its rich cultural heritage, fascinating nature, and reasonable prices. Find out how much it costs for a tourist to visit Ukraine today and how best to do it

06 Sep. 2024

More details

2 min

Entry rules Germany introduces border controls on all its land borders: how will this affect Ukrainians?

Germany introduces border controls on all its land borders: how will this affect Ukrainians?

Germany is introducing temporary border controls to combat illegal migration and terrorism. Find out how this will affect Ukrainians planning a trip to Germany, what documents they should have with them, and who may be turned away at the border

10 Sep. 2024

More details

4 min

Travel 10 most beautiful cities in Ukraine and 10 more no less picturesque towns

10 most beautiful cities in Ukraine and 10 more no less picturesque towns

Ukrainian cities paint the face of Ukraine. Large and majestic, small and picturesque, colorful and landscape. Each with its own character and each beautiful in its own way. Find out which cities in Ukraine are the most beautiful and why they attract millions of tourists

10 Sep. 2024

More details