First ever open access commercial passenger rail service starts between the EU and Ukraine

03.04.2024 - 12:17 / traveldailynews.com / Vicky Karantzavelou

Chop is an important passenger railway hub, and there will be a guaranteed transfer to onward services operated by Ukrainian Railways.

BRUSSELS – ALLRAIL member operator RegioJet launched the first ever Open Access 100% commercial passenger rail service between the EU and Ukraine. That means: it operates without subsidy. And it will operate daily – in both directions.

Furthermore, it is a night train, with both sleeper coaches (both couchettes & private compartments) and standard class seating, creating a new direct long distance service between the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Ukraine.

The very first train departed Prague on March 27th at 21.52 CET (22.52 UKR time), has travelled via Košice in Slovakia and will arrive at its final destination in Chop, Ukraine, in just over one hour from now – at 10.35 UKR time (09.35 CET).

RegioJet, the privately-owned operator of this new EU-Ukraine service will also invest its own funds into the infrastructure at Chop railway station. “It is a gift to the Ukrainian people”, states RegioJet’s founder Radim Jančura.ALLRAIL’s Armand Duthil says: “Two years after the unprovoked invasion by Russia, it is important to now enhance cross-border connectivity – with the aim that one day soon, Ukraine will join the Single European Railway Area”.

Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.

She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.