Public transportation in Kyiv will operate differently during air raid alerts
Kyiv plans to revise the rules governing public transportation during air raid alerts. Specifically, during a yellow alert, the Syretsko-Pecherska metro line will operate in full, and the number of surface transportation vehicles is set to increase significantly. The capital will also shorten its curfew.
Kyiv city authorities will revise the rules governing public transportation during air raid alerts. This will take place as part of an update to the warning system and the transition to different threat levels.
According to the president, the new rules should take into account the differences between threat levels. In particular, during a yellow alert, operations on certain metro lines will not be suspended. “Specifically, during a yellow alert, the Syretsko-Pecherska metro line will operate in full,” Zelenskyy said.
What will happen to the metro during alerts
Currently, during air raid alerts, operations on the above-ground sections of the Kyiv Metro may be suspended in accordance with safety regulations. As a result, passengers are forced to transfer to surface transportation or find alternative routes. The new system is intended to adjust this approach depending on the threat level.
According to Zelenskyy, during a yellow alert, the Syretsko-Pecherska Line will operate in full. At the same time, the Svyatoshynsko-Brovarska metro branch may continue to suspend service during alerts. To address this, the city must increase the number of buses and other surface public transportation.
More Ground-Based Public Transportation
Kyiv has been instructed to significantly expand the number of surface public transit vehicles. These will serve as an alternative to metro sections that will be suspended during air raid alerts. Specifically, this applies to the route between the “Lisova” and “Dnipro” stations. Plans call for this route to be duplicated by surface transit so that passengers can continue their journeys even if the corresponding metro section is shut down.
Zelenskyy explained that this should help compensate for service suspensions on the Svyatoshynsko-Brovarska line. “The city of Kyiv has been instructed to significantly expand the number of surface public transit vehicles to compensate for service suspensions during air raid alerts on the Svyatoshynsko-Brovarska metro line and to provide surface transport as a backup for the corresponding metro route between the “Lisova” and “Dnipro” stations,” the president said.
Thus, during an alert, passengers should have more opportunities to travel around the city without the metro on certain sections. At the same time, the specific number of additional buses and other vehicles, as well as the final routes, have not yet been announced.
Kyiv to Shorten Curfew
Separately, Zelenskyy announced changes to the curfew in the capital. According to him, the curfew in Kyiv will be shortened. However, the president did not specify the new start and end times in his statement.
This means that the final details of the restrictions still need to be determined and announced by city authorities. The president also called for a review of the curfew in other cities across Ukraine. “Authorities in other cities will be asked to review the curfew hours, taking into account the actual security needs of the people and the operation of businesses,” Zelenskyy added.
Why the rules were changed
The revision of the rules is linked to plans to update the entire air threat warning system. Earlier, Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine intends to introduce two specific threat levels—yellow and red. Basically, the yellow level will apply to drone attacks, while the red level will apply to missile threats, including the risk of ballistic attacks and massive strikes.
The idea is to respond differently to various air threats. If the threat is less severe, some urban infrastructure operations can continue. However, in the event of a missile or massive attack, restrictions may be more stringent.
At the same time, safety remains the primary criterion. A yellow alert does not mean that people can ignore the warning. In the event of danger, it is essential to follow civil defense guidelines.
They Want to Make Alarms More Precise
Another part of the planned changes involves more precise geographic targeting of air raid alerts. The authorities want the alert to be broadcast primarily in areas where there is an actual threat. This should reduce situations where, due to a danger in one part of a region, an alert is issued for a much larger area.
This is particularly important for Kyiv, as the daily commutes of hundreds of thousands of people depend on decisions regarding the suspension of public transportation. The new system should allow the city to determine more quickly how to respond based on the specific threat. At the same time, the final rules have yet to be developed and agreed upon by the relevant agencies.
What Will Change for Kyiv Residents
If the new rules are implemented as announced, Kyiv residents will be able to use the entire Syrets-Pecherska metro line during a yellow alert. For the Svyatoshynsko-Brovarska line, an alternative in the form of increased surface transportation is planned during alerts. A separate surface route is intended to duplicate service between the “Lisova” and “Dnipro” stations.
In addition, authorities in the capital plan to shorten the curfew. The exact time limits will be announced separately. Overall, the authorities aim to ensure that air raid alerts disrupt city life as little as possible, where the threat level allows. At the same time, during an actual missile or large-scale attack, transportation restrictions may still be necessary.
For now, these are planned changes. Specific rules for metro operations, the number of additional ground transportation services, and the new curfew hours are to be announced once the necessary preparations are complete. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced this following a conversation with Prime Minister Serhiy Koretskyi.
Ukraine plans to introduce two levels of threat alerts during air attacks—yellow and red. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy explained that this should help people better understand the nature of the danger and how to respond to it.
