The full-scale war forced millions of Ukrainians to seek safe haven abroad. They found themselves in other countries – often not of their own free will, but because of the need to survive. The language, everyday life, and legal framework have changed, but one of the main needs has remained — to move freely, to get from city to city quickly and comfortably, solving one’s affairs, studying, working, or visiting relatives. Therefore, the launch of a new service for the sale of European railway tickets through PrivatBank has practical and even emotional significance for Ukrainian refugees.
What has changed?
From May 2025, Ukrainians can buy tickets for trains in Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic directly through the PrivatBank platform — both in the Privat24 mobile application and through the bank’s web version. About this informs press service of the financial institution. This became possible thanks to cooperation with leading European carriers, which provided access to the current schedule, booking and purchase of tickets. At the same time, there is no need to search for third-party services, translate pages through an automatic translator, and look for the “change language” button on a German or Czech website.
The service works as simply as Ukrainian tickets for Ukrzaliznytsia trains. The interface is completely Ukrainian. It is enough to go to the usual “Privat24”, find the desired direction, choose the train, date and time and pay with a PrivatBank card. No separate registrations on carrier sites, language barriers or suspicious intermediary platforms.
In addition, round-the-clock technical support works – also in Ukrainian. This is important if there is a booking error, you entered the wrong date or you have questions about the ticket.
Importance for refugees
For many Ukrainians abroad, the issue of mobility is key. Check documents at the consulate, come to another city for a free medical examination, change your place of residence, visit an educational center, go to relatives — all this requires traveling by train, which in Europe is often the most accessible and cheapest form of transport. Previously, such trips required knowledge of foreign languages or the help of local people. Now all you need is a PrivatBank Ukrainian card and a smartphone.
This will be especially useful:
– to mothers with children who want to visit Ukrainian centers in other cities or organize treatment for their child;
– for elderly people who find it difficult to navigate foreign services;
– students studying in other regions or traveling between universities;
– refugees who are looking for a job and go to interviews;
– to Ukrainians who periodically return home and plan trips with transfers in the EU.
So far, the system covers three countries: Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic. But they remain the main points of stay of Ukrainian citizens. Presumably, in the future, the service can be extended to Poland, Hungary, Slovakia or the Baltic countries, which will further facilitate the logistics of transfers.
For Ukrainians forced to live in another country, access to understandable and convenient services, this solution is a way to feel at least partial stability. When you can buy a train ticket with the same card you used at home, in an app you’ve been familiar with for a long time, it reduces anxiety and gives you a sense of connection to normal life. This is a small but important part of the new reality, which Ukrainians try to assemble into a whole every day.
