A train service from Ukraine to Bulgaria may launch in early June

Ukraine, together with its partners, is preparing to launch a new international rail route to Bulgaria. The first train is tentatively scheduled to depart in early June.

This was announced by Deputy Prime Minister for Recovery and Minister of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine Oleksiy Kuleba.

According to him, preliminary agreements have already been reached regarding the route and schedule, taking passenger convenience into account. The train will run along the route Kyiv — Lviv — Chernivtsi — Suceava — Bucharest — Varna.

The trip is expected to take up to 30 hours, which is comparable to a bus ride but significantly more comfortable. The final travel time will be determined after a test run.

Work is also underway to optimize the route to avoid delays and keep ticket prices from rising. Romania and Bulgaria have tentatively agreed to include the route in the PSO mechanism, which will make travel more affordable.

The next step will be to agree on fares and launch a test run in collaboration with international partners.

As a reminder, JSC Ukrzaliznytsia is introducing four additional trains and extending one long-distance route to Yaremche due to increased passenger traffic.

On March 24, 2026, Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, Chairman of the Board of JSC “Ukrzaliznytsia,” announced a change in the Russian Federation’s shelling tactics, noting that since late 2025, it has begun systematically attacking rolling stock while it is in motion.