Two container trains from China passed the station Kyiv-Lisky in January 2021, another train is on the way, the press service of JSC Ukrzaliznytsia said on Wednesday.
According to the company, in January 2021, a total of 14 trains passed across Ukraine in the direction of China-EU countries (seven in the direction of Poland, six to Hungary, and one to Slovakia).
As reported, 22 container trains from China arrived in 2020. Over the past year, more than 425,000 containers in conventional units (TEU) were transported across the territory of Ukraine, which was 10.7% more than in 2019.
JSC Ukrzaliznytsia has asked the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine to help with the resumption of Intercity high-speed trains on the Kyiv-Przemysl route.
“We have once again turned to the Ministry of Infrastructure with a request to send a request to their Polish colleagues to restore this route. This is very important for us, it was one of our most profitable routes,” Ukrzaliznytsia Head Volodymyr Zhmak said on the air of the Ukraine with Tigran Martyrosian program on Ukraine 24 TV Channel.
At the same time, he said that he had no doubts about the relevance of this direction.
The ninth container train from the Chinese city of Nanchang arrived at the Kyiv-Lisky station, the press service of Ukrzaliznytsia said on Saturday.
Three more trains from China are expected throughout September, according to the company.
Ukrzaliznytsia notes that the arriving train includes 41 containers with mineral fertilizers, light industry goods, lamps, bulbs, chemical components for water filtration and less-than-car load. In addition, the train delivered medical supplies to Ukraine, in particular, masks and other protective equipment.
The distance of transportation, which is more than 9,000 km along the territories of four countries, are covered by China trains during 15 days on average.
As reported, direct container shipments from China to Ukraine began on June 8, 2020.
JSC Ukrzaliznytsia for the upcoming Independence Day of Ukraine will launch additional high-speed trains No. 224/223 Odesa-Kyiv and No. 168/167 Lviv-Odesa.
According to the company’s press service, the trains will be launched due to an increased demand for passenger transportation services on holidays.
Train No. 224/223 will transport passengers between Odesa and Kyiv on August 22 and 24.
Train No. 168/167 will transport passengers between Lviv and Odesa on August 22, 24, 26, 28 and 30.
KYIV, LVIV, ODESA, TRAIN, UKRZALIZNYTSIA
The Kyiv-Riga train launched by Ukrzaliznytsia, also passing through Minsk (Belarus) and Vilnius (Lithuania), from January 30, 2019 will make more trips – once in four days instead of once a week as it is done today, Ukrzaliznytsia Board Chairman Yevhen Kravtsov has written on his Facebook page.
“The occupancy rate from Kyiv to Riga is 49% and backwards – 40%. These are good figures, which are evidence of popularity of the train going to European capitals and its economic feasibility for the Ukrainian railways,” he said on Friday.
The weekly Kyiv-Minsk-Vilnius-Riga train was launched on September 28, 2018. At the end of Nov, Ukrzaliznytsia said that then the train was running at about zero cost effectiveness. However, given the “low season” and only the recent launch, Ukrzaliznytsia considered the launch of this train successful.
According to the company, after eight trips the train carried 2,100 passengers, of which 1,000 – to/from Lithuania and 950 – to/from Latvia.
In January, it is planned to hold talks with Estonian railways Eesti Raudtee on the extension of the train’s route to Tallinn.
Ukrzaliznytsia in 2019 will start talks with Estonia’s Eesti Raudtee railway company on extension of the Kyiv-Riga train to Tallinn.
It was planned to start the talks in December, although they were postponed. Now representatives of Eesti Raudtee and Ukrzaliznytsia are to meet on January 17, 2019, Spokesperson of Eesti Raudtee Monika Lilles said.
The weekly Kyiv-Minsk-Vilnius-Riga train was launched on September 28, 2018. At the end of Nov, Ukrzaliznytsia said that then the train was running at about zero cost effectiveness. However, given the “low season” and only the recent launch, Ukrzaliznytsia considered the launch of this train successful.
According to the company, after eight trips the train carried 2,100 passengers, of which 1,000 – to/from Lithuania and 950 – to/from Latvia.
