The train route to Bulgaria will take about 30 hours
Ukraine is preparing to launch a new international train route to the Bulgarian city of Varna. Preliminary agreements on the route and schedule have already been reached with foreign partners.
This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing the Minister of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine, Oleksii Kuleba.
Also read: Sleeping arrangements on the train: everything passengers need to know about new prices and usage rules
What the route will be like
The train will operate on the route: Kiev – Lviv – Chernivtsi – Suceava – Bucharest – Varna.
According to Kuleba, the route was designed to ensure maximum convenience for passengers while avoiding downtime for rolling stock. As a result, it has been possible to keep ticket prices stable and maintain the availability of carriages for other destinations.
Duration of the trip
The estimated travel time will be up to 30 hours. The Ministry of Development notes that the bus route takes the same amount of time; however, traveling by train will be more comfortable for passengers.
Train route Kiev – Lviv – Chernivtsi – Suceava – Bucharest – Varna (infographic: Ministry of Development)
Moreover, traveling by train is more predictable for passengers. The final travel time will be announced after a test run.
The Ministry of Development plans to launch the route as early as early June. This decision is particularly important for children’s groups, who traditionally travel for vacations in the summer.
Cost of travel
The cost of travel is not yet known – negotiations on tariff policy are ongoing. The Romanian and Bulgarian sides have preliminarily agreed on the possibility of including the route in the PSO (public service obligation) mechanism, which will allow for a reduction in ticket prices.
Earlier, RBC-Ukraine reported on the update of electronic tickets by “Ukrzaliznytsia” for flights to Poland. Starting in 2025, passengers will receive new-style tickets that are more convenient and adapted to international standards.
We also wrote about the direct train route “Kiev – Bucharest.” The train provides convenient connections without transfers, a comfortable overnight journey, and easy access to international flights through Bucharest Airport.
