Passengers planning to travel on international trains operated by Ukrzaliznytsia have encountered a significant change in boarding rules. For several foreign destinations, having an electronic ticket on a smartphone is no longer sufficient—a printed paper document is now required to pass inspection.
Where paper tickets are now required
According to RBC-Ukraine, citing clarifications from the railway carrier, this requirement applies to specific international routes. On these trains, conductors strictly check for the presence of paper tickets upon boarding. An electronic document displayed on a phone screen is not accepted as a valid basis for travel in these cases.
The company reminded passengers that after purchasing a ticket in the official app, it can be downloaded in PDF format and printed independently. This step must be completed in advance to avoid delays at the station.
Electronic tickets work on most routes
It is worth noting that the requirement to print tickets does not apply to the entire network of the carrier. For the majority of domestic and international routes operated by Ukrzaliznytsia, standard rules apply: passengers only need to show the conductor a QR code on their smartphone screen. Train staff scan it using a mobile document control terminal or a POS terminal.
New schedule and record demand for summer
In addition to clarifying boarding rules, Ukrzaliznytsia has announced major operational changes. A new train schedule comes into effect on June 28. The carrier is introducing 12 new routes, converting some popular trains to daily service, and extending routes to the mountain stations of Rahiv and Yasinya. Travel times on certain routes have also been shortened.
The company has warned of record demand for tickets at the start of the summer season. According to the carrier's forecasts, in the coming weeks, there may be 6 to 7 passengers competing for a single available seat. The most popular route is the Lviv–Lozova train. Experts advise Ukrainians to purchase tickets in advance or use the auto-purchase function in the app to guarantee a seat on the train.