They are composed by wagon of first and second class with only sitting places divided in compartment of 6 places (we tried only the first class).

Stolychnyi ekspres Kyiv – Kharkiv

Locomotiv Siemens. Train Kyiv – Kharkiv

Locomotiv stolychnyi ekspres

Train Kyiv – Kharkiv

Stolychnyi ekspres, waiting at the Kyiv’s station

Wagon of the train Kyiv – Kharkiv

Stolychnyi ekspres Kyiv – Dnipropetrovsk

Train Kiev – Dnipropetrovsk

Stolichniy-express to Dnipropetrovsk

Inside wagons

First class wagons are quite clean and offer a good comfort.

Corridor train Kyiv – Dnipropetrovsk

Corridor first class wagon, stolychnyi ekspres

The are equipped with very nice reclining seats and in the middle of the compartment there is also a small table.

Compartment of the train Kyiv – Dnipropetrovsk

As in the “renewed” wagons, there is a control panel (lights, radio, wc status and AC plug).

The control panel inside the compartment

In each compartment there are 2 monitors where is possible to watch movies in Russian language.

One of the monitors, train Kyiv – Dnipropetrovsk

Toilets of the train

There are 2 WC for each wagon and, at least in the first class, they look even better that the ones available on the renewed sleeping cars. They look very clean and have also a dispenser of hygienic paper covering for WC.

Toilet of the train Kyiv – Dnipropetrovsk

WC of the train Kyiv – Dnipropetrovsk

Price of the tickets

First class tickets are quite expensive if compared with the elekrickas’ ones. Anyway it is possible to feel the difference.
The first class during our trip was almost empty.

One way ticket for the route Kyiv – Kharkiv
1 class: 176.17 UAH
2 class: 104.43 UAH

Videos of Ukrainian trains

Train “Zakarpattia” departing from Kiev:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6k7Z4mN5Clg

Freight train in Donetsk:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhPAFR4myPk

Other kind of Ukrainian trains

Elektrichka (Электричка) or Elektropoezd
http://en.ukrlandia.com.ua/elektricka

Overnight trains
http://www.ukrlandia.com.ua/treni-ucraini

Train timetable

http://www.uz.gov.ua (site in Russian and Ukrainian)

The train depart usually in the late afternoon ad arrive at destination the next morning. This happen on routes as Kiev – Donetsk, Kiev – Ivano – Frankovsk. On other routes as Donetsk – Lvov, the trip last even more than 1 day.

The locomotives

Some are electrical and other are Diesel. We are not expert so we just public some photos of them.

Electrical Ukrainian locomotive

Ukrainian locomotive

Old Ukrainian locomotive

The sleeping cars

The carriages are characterized by their typical light blue color with yellow stripe. There anyway wagons with different colors as the one of the train Uzgorod – Kiev.

Several trains also have a specific name ex. Donbass  for the Donetsk – Kiev, Dnipro for the Dnepropetrovsk – Kiev etc…

Sleeping car  “Donbass” Donetsk – Kiev

Train “Azov”, Mariupol – Kiev

Train “Zakarpattia”, Uzgorod – Kiev

The name and the destination are written on a plate on both sides of the wagon.

“Donbass”, Donetsk-Kiev

“Prikarpattia”, Ivano-Frankisvsk – Kyiv

Apart from the “traditional” wagons, there are also renewed carriages which especially inside are much better than the previous ones.

Renewed wagon, train “Donbass”

Renewed wagon of the train Lviv – Kyiv

A part of the normal sleeping cars exist also a restaurant wagon.

Restaurant wagon, train “Donbass”

Interior of the sleeping cars

Mainly the wagons are possible to be divided in these 3 typologies:

-First class: Lyuks (Люкс) compartments with only 2 beds  (and extra comforts)

-Second class: Kupe (Купе) compartment with 4 beds, 2 up and 2 down

-Third class: Platskart (Плацкарт) there is not division in compartments. You have more than 3 neighbors…

In some trains exist also a forth class Zahal’nyi (Загальний), where there are only sits and not beds.

A big difference consist in the age of the carriage and if the wagon was renewed or not.

Kupe class “traditional” wagons

These wagons can be quite good (even if not renewed) as the ones of the “Donbass” (see photo) or to be rather old as the ones of the Donetsk – Sevastopol or the ones of  the “Prikarpattia”.

In general, the standard comfort are:

-  “Clean” bed linen (at least they are given in a sealed package)

- Radio and lights for the whole compartment

- A personal light next to every bed.

- Clotheshorses

- Boxes where to put the luggage (over the door and under the two down beds)

- Power plugs, usually only inside and next to the toilet (often they don’t work)

- Heating system and conditioned air (not always working property and sometimes not even available)

There are 2 toilets for every wagon.

Entrance wagon Kupe, “Prikarpattia”

Train Donbass, Donetsk – Kiev

Entrance of the corridor, train “Donbass”

Corridor wagon Donetsk – Kiev

Compartment Kupe, train Donetsk – Kiev

Stair to the upper bed, train Donetsk – Kiev

Upper bed with mattress

Control panel, train “Donbass”

Train Lviv – Donetsk

Corridor of the wagon, train Lviv – Donetsk

Upper bed with bed linen

Train Donestk – Sevastopol

Small table, train Donetsk – Sevastopol

Upper bed with light, train Donetsk – Sevastopol

Between all these trains the most comfortable was the “Donbass”. The worst was the Sevastopol also because when we tried it was winter and the radiators were extremely hot and the air inside the compartment was very heavy.

Renewed wagons

These carriages are completely renewed. They look clean and modern. In general they don’t have anything to envy to the western ones.

Inside the compartments there is a special control panel which also tell if the WC are busy or not. On it there is also a power plug every useful for to reach PC or mobile phones.

The toilets are much, much better than the previous ones.

Train Donbass, Donetsk – Kiev

Entrance train “Donbass”, renewed wagon

Corridor renewed wagon, train “Donbass”

Compartment, train Donetsk – Kiev

Upper bed, train “Donbass”

Kupe, “Donbass” Donetsk – Kiev

Luggage box

Control panel of the compartment

Train “Lviv”, Lviv – Kyiv

Renewed wagon train “Lviv”

Compartment train “Lviv”

Bed and mattress, train  Lviv – Kyiv

The toilets

They are usually not hygienic and essential. Especially before the arrival (so after the night) they are dirty and the floor is often wet.

Much better are the ones of the renewed wagons.

“Normal” wagons

Toilet, train “Donbass”

Sink, Ukrainian train

WC train Lviv – Donetsk

Renewed wagons

Sink, train “Donbass”

WC, train Donetsk – Kiev

Tickets:

The prices of the tickets change according to the distance, the class and the kind of the wagon. The renewed wagons cost a bit more (but the difference of price is truly worthy).

Example:

Kyiv-Lviv

First class: about 500 uah (100 usd)

Second class: about 125 uah (25 usd)

Third class: about 80 uah (16 usd)

The best one is the Kupe (quality/price).

The first class can costs even more than to take the plane.

Remember to book as soon as you can or you risk to don’t find any ticket left.

Keep your ticket in a place where you can easily reach it. The woman of the carriage will ask it two times:
1 before you to come inside her wagon
2 when the train depart and in this occasion she will not give it back (when you are close to your destination, you can ask her to give it back to you).

Notes:

-As rule, the down beds are considered to be the best, since you can also sit there and not only to lie down… and for this reason are also the first that are sold out.
Grannies and grandpa will aspect you to give them such place even if you own a ticket for such place.

-Before to lay down on your bed, you need to “make the bed”
you will find there a kind of mattress, a pillow, several “clean” shits and an heavy blanket.
Prior to your arrival, you have to put everything as it was before and give all those “clean” shits to the woman of the train.

For to know how to read Ukrainian tickets:
http://en.ukrlandia.com.ua/train-tickets-ukraine

Videos of Ukrainian trains

Train “Zakarpattia” departing from Kiev:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6k7Z4mN5Clg

Other types of Ukrainian trains

Elektrichka (Электричка) o Elektropoezd:

http://en.ukrlandia.com.ua/elektricka

Freight train in Donetsk:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhPAFR4myPk

Ukrainian train timetable

http://www.uz.gov.ua (only in Russian and Ukrainian)

They are multiple unit trains and they don’t have sleeping cars but normal passengers cars of first and second class.

As always a significant difference is the age of the train. There are new Elektrichka called “comfort” and old ones that of comfortable have really very few…

Usually the newest Elektrichka are operative on the main lines as Dnipropetrovsk – Donetsk, and the other ones are more popular on less important routes.

Here are several photos of different Elektrichka (modern ones).

Elektrichka Dnipropetrovsk – Donetsk

An elektrichka at the Dnipropetrovsk’s railway station

Elektrichka’s wagons

Elektrichka Dnepropetrovsk – Donetsk

Elektrichka Kiev – Khmnelnitskiy

Elektrichka Kiev – Khmnelnitskiy

The elektrichka waiting in Kiev

Elektrichka alla stazione di Kiev (Vydubichi) local service

Elektrichka at Vydubichi (Kiev)

Elektrichka at Vydubichi (Kiev)

Inside the wagons

The quality of wagons ad of the seats depend not only on the class but also on the kind of Elektrichka. You can find carriages with comfortable seats + small table and tv (if it works) and other ones with simple wooden seats.

Elektrichka Kiev – Khmnelnitskiy (inside the first class)

First class elektrichka Kiev – Khmnelnitskiy

Elektrichka, first class (notice TV)

Elektrichka Dnepropetrovsk – Donetsk (First class)

Elektrichka’s wagon

Elektrichka’s seats. Dnepropetrovsk – Donetsk

Having traveled on all these trains, we can say the elektrichka Kiev – Khmnelnitskiy was more comfortable than the one between Dnipropetrovsk – Donetsk even if from outside the second one looks better.

Toilets

The toilets of the Elektichka are not better than the ones of the overnight trains.
They only offer a simple faucet and a turkish WC and they are not even available on all carriages.

The WC of an elektrichka

Price of the tickets

They are quite cheap even if you chose the first class.
For the route Dnipropetrovsk – Donetsk we paid just 29 Hryvnia head (less than 2 euro).

At least for in the first class, you can’t sit where you want. Your place is booked when you buy the ticket.

Train timetable

http://www.uz.gov.ua (site in Russian and Ukrainian)

It is located underground and it is possible to get there from the underpass close to the station entrance (old side). See the photo.

From here you will get inside a long corridor with several “windows” where you can give your luggage and then take it back.

Before to leave your baggage, you must pay at the cashiers. (see photo)

cashiers

Price
18 Hryvnia / day

one of the deposit windows

Once you have paid, go to the window and show the payment quittance. The man will take your luggage and will give you back some kind of plastic receipt which you will need to give back when you will take back your luggage.

Many people use this service so be ready for the possible queue.

A better way

If you don’t have a big baggage with you, you may try of this alternative system.

Go along the corridor until you will see this door:

From here you will get in a different area where it is possible to rent for several hours a safety box.

the corridor with the safety boxes

Pay at the cashiers (not the previous one), the woman will give you a token to use for to activate the safety box.

safety box cashiers

Price
12 Hryvnia
The system work in this way:

1 Find an unused safety box (opened)
2 Write down the number of your safety box
3 Put the luggage inside your box
4 Insert the token
5 Setup a combination, 1 Cyrillic letter and 2 numbers
6 Close the door

1.

Поїзд Train
-№ Train number
-шифр Series
—————————–
Відправлення Departure
-число Day
-місяць Month
-години Hour
-хвил. Minute
—————————–
Вагон Carriage
-№ Number
-тип Class of accommodation
(Л 1class К 2class П 3class О 4class)
—————————–

Ціна, грн. Price,Hryvnia
Information about price
—————————–
Кількість осіб Number of people
—————————–
Вид документа
Information about the fare
(повний Full, дитячий Child’s…)
—————————–

2.

Route (es. Донецьк-Севастоп.)
Місця Place, Sit.
—————————–

3.

Other information about the price
—————————–

For further information, visit:

Ukrainian trains’ guide:
http://en.ukrlandia.com.ua/ukrainian-trains-guide