The fare from Kyiv to Riga is about US$80 / Photo from UNIAN
The fifth capital city of Tallinn (Estonia) is likely to be added to the train route late in 2018 or early in 2019.
Acting CEO of Ukrainian national railways company PJSC Ukrzaliznytsia Yevhen Kravtsov says the first train linking four capitals on the route from Kyiv (Ukraine) – Minsk (Belarus) – Vilnius (Lithuania) – Riga (Latvia) departed from Kyiv's railway station at 14:07 local time on September 28.
"Today the train is occupied by 55%. This is a very good indicator. The profitability of trains on international routes starts from their 30% occupancy," he told a briefing on September 28.
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The official noted that the fifth capital city of Tallinn (Estonia) is likely to be added to the train route late in 2018 or early in 2019.
The train was overhauled at Ukrzaliznytsia's enterprises. It consists of 10 cars, including nine economy and one business class cars. There are also male and female compartments in the sixth car.
As of today, the fare from Kyiv to Riga is UAH 2,248.41, or US$80, for economy-class trips and UAH 4,487.21, or $159, for business-class trips.
"I'm convinced that the route will be popular, while the occupancy will be enough to lower the tariff," said Ukraine's Deputy Infrastructure Minister Yuriy Lavrenyuk, who was also present at the briefing.
As UNIAN reported earlier, on August 30, the Ukrainian state-owned railway company Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukrainian Railways) began selling tickets for the "four capitals' train," which runs from Kyiv to Riga through Vilnius and Minsk.