Ukraine's Infrastructure Minister elaborates on relaunch of railway services

Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Vladyslav Kryklii says railway services, earlier suspended over the coronavirus-related nationwide lockdown, will be restored this week, which is even ahead of the schedule previously announced by the Cabinet.

All types of trains will relaunch their operation. Commuter trains will be the first, then long-distance: express and night trains. They will be primarily southbound, running to areas where the epidemiological situation is not so complicated and where "the sea is waiting" for tourists, Liashko told a morning TV show "Snidanok z 1+1" on May 25, as reported by the Ukrainian TSN TV news service.

Cross-border trains will start running as well. Ukrainians will be able to return home from abroad instead of waiting for evacuation flights that are much more expensive.

Read alsoUkraine shifts to strategy of COVID-19 incidence containment

"Passengers may get out of cars, whereas picking up passengers – according to the logic of the decisions made – will be irrational, endangering other passengers. We must remember that public transport is not only about higher mobility, it may also trigger the disease hike," he said.

The minister also announced railway ticket booking as early as this Wednesday or Thursday. Ticket prices will not be raised, only growing due to higher seasonal demand, as it happens every year. Tickets are sold at an increased rate (+ 7%) from June to August 31.

Kryklii also proposed that passengers arrive for boarding early due to the new temperature screening routine on platforms.

Family members are set to be seated next to each other in the same compartment without restrictions, while rules for the general seating are yet to be finalized.

Face masks on commuter trains will be mandated, while those riding on long-distance trains may be allowed taking them off, which is also now being elaborated by government officials.

Domestic air travel is also set to be relaunched earlier than planned, that is, before June 15.

As UNIAN reported earlier, the subway was allowed to reopen in Kyiv and Kharkiv on May 25.