Ukrzaliznytsia launches first direct rail route from Zhytomyr and Lutsk to Poland

Ukrzaliznytsia is launching a new international train No. 123/124 on the Kyiv–Chełm route, which for the first time provides Zhytomyr and Lutsk with direct rail connection to Poland. Ticket sales for the route start on November 11, 2026, with the first train departing on November 20. The route will operate every other day, serving as both an international connection and a domestic one between these regional centers.

Schedule and intermediate stops

Heading to Poland, the train will depart from Kyiv on even dates at 18:48. It will stop in Zhytomyr at 21:38, in Lutsk at 04:22, and will arrive in Chełm, Poland, at 10:47. In the return direction, the train will operate from Chełm on odd dates, starting at 17:15, stopping in Lutsk at 01:00, Zhytomyr at 08:20, and arriving in Kyiv at 11:15. Thus, even passengers not traveling to Poland can use the service for travel between Ukrainian cities.

Transfers in Chełm and European connectivity

The key advantage of the new route is the transfer hub in Chełm. There, passengers can connect to trains bound for Warsaw, Lublin, and Poznań, which effectively opens access to the Polish and broader European rail network. For residents of Zhytomyr and Lutsk, this is the first direct rail bridge to Poland without the need to travel through Kyiv or Lviv.

Context: the carrier's series of international launches

The new route fits into Ukrzaliznytsia's wider program for expanding international connections with Poland. Previously, the company announced the flagship train No. 23/24 Kyiv–Chełm, named after the historian and head of the Ukrainian Central Rada Mykhailo Hrushevsky, as well as two routes connecting Kyiv and Dnipro with Przemyśl. Additionally, the flagship train No. 51/52 "Yaroslav the Wise" was launched on the Kyiv–Przemyśl line, a name referencing the historic connection between Lviv and Przemyśl that began on November 4, 1861. According to the carrier, connections to trains for Berlin, Prague, Kraków, Katowice, and Wrocław are available from Przemyśl.

Buying tickets

Tickets for train No. 123/124 Kyiv–Chełm can be purchased starting November 11 at station ticket offices and through the Ukrzaliznytsia mobile app. The first trip is scheduled for November 20, 2026, after which the train will run every other day according to the approved schedule. Launching this route expands the geography of international travel and strengthens the transport connectivity of western and central regions of Ukraine with Poland.