The summer vacation season in Ukraine has begun with an unexpected problem for travelers: against the backdrop of a sharp surge in demand, passengers are facing a shortage of train tickets. People are mass-complaining that seats are sold out within minutes of sales opening, and on popular routes, it is becoming practically impossible to purchase a ticket.

«Everything is already sold»: Passengers' reaction

The severity of the situation became evident immediately after sales opened for new dates. One user on the social network Threads addressed the carrier with a question about how one can even manage to buy a ticket if seats disappear instantly.

«How do you even buy train tickets, how do you manage? Sales opened at 8:45 today and everything is already sold», — wrote a passenger, expressing bewilderment that even by logging into the system on time, she could not book a seat.

Carrier's response: The reason is the new schedule

Representatives of «Ukrzaliznytsia» (UZ) commented on the situation, explaining the temporary difficulties as technical reasons. The company reported that ticket sales were temporarily restricted on some routes. This is due to active preparations for the launch of the new summer schedule, which will come into effect on June 28.

«We will open [sales] within a short time; there are still adjustments because we will be adding additional trains to the summer schedule from June 28, and sales are closed for a number of routes», — the carrier's press service explained the situation.

Shortage of carriages and consequences of attacks

However, temporary technical restrictions are only part of the problem. «Ukrzaliznytsia» warned that the ticket shortage will persist during the summer season. Demand for rail transport significantly exceeds the number of available seats, and the situation is expected to become even more difficult in the summer.

The main reason for the lack of capacity is a physical shortage of carriages. Part of the rolling stock was destroyed or damaged as a result of Russian attacks on Ukraine's infrastructure. Restoring the fleet to pre-war levels in the shortest possible time is impossible, forcing the carrier to seek compromise solutions.

Tips for passengers: How to get to your destination

Given limited resources, «Ukrzaliznytsia» has provided recommendations for those planning trips during this period. Traditionally, ticket sales for long-distance trains open 20 days before departure. On popular routes, seats are gone in the first few days, but the carrier reminds that tickets may reappear due to returns or the release of reservations.

To find available seats, passengers are advised to use the following tools:

  • Monitoring and auto-purchase functions: The «Ukrzaliznytsia» mobile app offers tools that automatically track the appearance of tickets and book them the moment they are released.
  • Routes with transfers: If there are no seats on a direct flight, it is worth considering options with a transfer in intermediate cities.
  • Buying in advance: Plan your trip as early as possible to secure a seat when sales open.

The carrier also reminds passengers about strict control at stations: documents are checked during boarding to prevent ticket scalping and ensure fair distribution of seats among passengers.