In winter, tourists have the opportunity to travel to different directions of the country
Travel by train remain one of the most popular ways to travel around Ukraine. For many, it is train travel that remains the main way to get to popular tourist locations in the country, Chronicle.info reports with reference to RBC-Ukraine.
What will happen to the prices of train tickets in 2022, will they be able to minibuses to displace trains in passenger demand and how 1000 UAH for vaccination against COVID will affect the state of the transport sector & # 8212; For more information, see RBK-Ukraine.
Will train fares increase in 2022
& # 171; Ukrzaliznytsia & # 187; promises not to increase train fares in 2022. However, in December 2021, prices were still raised by 3%. So, & # 171; UZ & # 187; changed the commission for buying, returning and reserving tickets. It was last viewed in 2019.
From December 10, 2021, the fixed fee is already UAH 30 instead of UAH 22. Also commission fee & # 8212; 20 UAH & # 8212; included in the price of tickets for express on the message Kiev & # 8212; Borispol airport. Thus, the price for travel in the & # 171; Boryspil Express & # 187; increased to UAH 100.
However & # 171; Ukrzaliznytsia & # 187; can still find & # 171; hidden & # 187; ways to increase prices, says the author of the vlog & # 171; Railways & # 187; Oleg Vasiliev.
& # 171; Given the large losses of UZ due to quarantine restrictions and a drop in passenger traffic in 2021, the company will look for an opportunity for a hidden increase in tariffs. This is usually done by applying various markups in the form of commissions, odds and the like & # 187; — he explains.
He recalls that in December 2021 & # 171; Ukrzaliznytsia & # 187; has already raised the commission on ticket sales to UAH 30.
& # 171; Tickets for individual trains may also rise in price, subject to the use of coefficients & # 171; brand & # 187; — the specialist notes.
Trains to the Carpathians and & # 171; Slobozhansky Express & # 187 ;. Will there be enough tickets for passengers
On the eve of New Year's holidays & # 171; Ukrzaliznytsia & # 187; launched a number of trains to popular tourist destinations. In particular, comfortable trips to the ski resort Slavske & # 8212; now runs there & # 171; Ski Express & # 187 ;.
Travelers also have access to trips to & # 171; Bukovel & # 187; express. He travels on the route Lvov-Yasinya-Lvov. The train leaves Lviv at 06:40 and arrives at the terminal station Yasinya at 12:25.
Express will make stops at the stations: Ivano-Frankivsk, Yaremche, Mikulichin, Tatarov, Vorokhta and others. It will run daily from December 25 to January 16, except for January 1 and 4. Then it will run every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
In addition, launched before the New Year & # 171; Slobozhansky & # 187; express will connect three regions in the east of the country: December 18, 2021 & # 171; Ukrzaliznytsia & # 187; launched & nbsp; a new regional train & nbsp; on the route that runs through the Luhansk, Kharkiv and Sumy regions.
The train made its first test run on the route & # 171; Popasna — Kharkiv — Sumy & # 187;, and on a permanent based on the message & # 171; Popasnaya — Kharkiv & # 187;, & # 171; Kharkiv — Vorozhba & # 187 ;.
But are there enough trains running on popular New Year destinations? What regions were left without direct communication with the Carpathians and other popular places among travelers?
& # 171; Judging by the demand, today the most popular destination is & # 8212; Carpathians. On December 29, 30, there were no tickets at all for trains from Kiev to Vorokhta, Rakhov. However, it was possible to choose a suitable train to Lviv, Uzhgorod, I. Frankovsk. For the first time in many years & # 171; UZ & # 187; appointed the Sumy-Vorokhta train & # 187 ;, — explains Oleg Vasiliev.
However, today the railway remains the most stable carrier, the expert believes.
& # 171; Moreover, the trains run, despite the wavelike demand from passengers. And bus companies, on the contrary, are canceling flights due to a drop in passenger traffic. Bus carriers work more or less stably where there is no alternative & # 187;, — he adds.
Will 1000 UAH for vaccination help improve the state of the transport sector?
In 2022, Ukrainians will continue to receive 1000 hryvnia for a full course of vaccination against COVID. They, in particular, can be spent on train tickets.
The head of the State Agency for Tourism Development (GART) Maryana Oleskiv previously noted that such an initiative would contribute to the interest of Ukrainians in traveling around the country.
& # 171; It's good that it appeared such an initiative, and I am really glad that now vaccination not only makes it possible to travel freely, but thanks to this, travelers can receive certain financial benefits & # 187; — she said.
On the other hand, 1000 hryvnia & # 8212; not the amount that will be enough for one trip & # 171; Ukrzaliznytsia & # 187; if you travel to the conditional Lviv. But for more in the context of travel, such an amount will definitely not be enough, says the traveler, local historian and director of the travel company & # 171; Ukraine Incognita & # 187; & nbsp; Roman Malenkov.
& # 171; This may be enough for one trip. It's not bad, and definitely better than nothing at all. But it is unlikely that this will contribute to the development of tourism in Ukraine: the funds will be scattered for different purposes, and each person will spend them on their own needs, provided for by these norms. Yes, someone will go to the museum. But I think they will mainly spend on tickets & # 171; Ukrzaliznytsia & # 187 ;. But this is not money for tourism: this is money for the railway & # 187;, — he explains his opinion.
However, compensation in 1000 UAH for vaccinations against COVID & # 8212; it is still an interesting economic move, says Oleg Vasiliev.
& # 171; There is a possibility that UAH 8 billion allocated from the State Budget will improve the financial position of the transport sector, which is in crisis today. But this will be in the event that passengers begin to travel more, spending along with their money and financial assistance from the state & # 187;, — he says.
Will buses replace travel on the railroad < p> It is often discussed that, due to the constant lack of tickets, rail transportation is gradually being replaced by bus interregional routes.
However, in this case, everything depends on the intensification of passenger traffic and the material situation of Ukrainians, Vasiliev believes. p>
& # 171; If there are no economic shocks before the summer, then the spring-summer season will bring an increase in demand for passenger transportation. In any case, travelers will be looking at the carriers' pricing policies. If the services of buses are cheaper than rail transportation, accordingly, bus operators will benefit & # 187 ;, — he summarizes.