South Bridge in Kyiv to Open for Buses: Three Routes to Start October 31, Limited to Single 12-Meter Vehicles

Starting October 31, public transport traffic will partially resume across the South Bridge in Kyiv. According to the press service of the Kyiv City State Administration (KCSA), passenger buses on three routes — No. 22-TL, No. 22-TD, and No. 91-T — will resume operations across the crossing. The decision was made after automobile traffic in both directions for vehicles weighing up to 10 tons was opened on the bridge structure on October 30.

What Will Change for Passengers Starting October 31

The key restriction is related to the condition of the bridge structures following the shelling: due to established weight limits, exclusively single 12-meter buses will operate across the South Bridge. The KCSA emphasized that the dimensions and mass of such vehicles fully comply with the permissible load parameters for the structure. Traffic will be organized in strict compliance with established schedules and intervals to avoid creating excessive load on the crossing.

Chronology: From Night Strike to Partial Opening

The structure sustained damage on the night of October 27 as a result of a Russian missile attack, which also affected subway infrastructure. Following this, the bridge was temporarily closed, and on October 28, specialists conducted structural strength tests and carried out round-the-clock repair work while assessing the technical condition of the crossing. Only on October 30 was traffic across the South Bridge opened in both directions for motor vehicles weighing up to 10 tons: starting in the morning with one lane from the left bank to the right, and in the opposite direction at 5:00 PM.

Darnytsia Bridge and Alternative Routes

City authorities remind residents that even after the partial opening of the South Bridge, buses continue to run via the Darnytsia Bridge, which served as the main alternative during the closure. Concurrently, ground transport routes have been adjusted and restrictions for trucks have been introduced to reduce the load on damaged infrastructure and ease traffic jams in the capital.

Prospects for Full Restoration

The KCSA noted that vehicle traffic across the South Bridge in both directions will eventually be fully restored. Earlier, during the inspection phase, the Kyiv City Military Administration indicated that the timing and format of the opening (partial or full) depend on specialists' conclusions regarding the safety of the structures, which have repeatedly sustained damage. Thus, the resumption of bus traffic on October 31 becomes another stage in the gradual return of the crossing to standard operations.