Ukraine is preparing to launch a new strategic railway route that will connect Kyiv with the Bulgarian city of Varna. The train will run via Lviv, Chernivtsi, as well as the Romanian cities of Suceava and Bucharest.
According to the words of Deputy Prime Minister for the Reconstruction of Ukraine Oleksiy Kuleba, subject to the successful completion of all preparatory stages, the first passengers will be able to use this flight as early as early June 2026.
Preliminary agreements with international partners on the schedule and configuration of the route have already been reached. The main goal of the project is to provide convenient and predictable connections with European Union countries, which is especially relevant during the summer holidays. Special attention is paid to safety and comfort during the transportation of children’s groups, who traditionally choose the Bulgarian coast for health improvement.
“This decision is important both for the development of transport connections with EU countries and for people. In particular, for children’s groups, who traditionally go on vacation in the summer,” said Oleksiy Kuleba.
The specialists have developed a traffic model that will avoid long-term downtime of cars. This strategic decision makes it possible to keep ticket prices at a competitive level and rationally use rolling stock for other directions. The estimated travel time will be up to 30 hours, which is similar to bus transportation in duration, but offers a significantly higher level of service.
- Route: Kyiv – Lviv – Chernivtsi – Suceava – Bucharest – Varna.
- Expected start: early June 2026.
- Travel time: up to 30 hours (to be specified after the test flight).
Currently, active negotiations are underway on the final fare. The Romanian and Bulgarian sides have expressed preliminary agreement to include the route in the public procurement mechanism (PSO). This step will significantly reduce the price of tickets for the end consumer. In the near future, a test flight is planned to be held together with foreign railway operators to finalize the tariffs and time frames of the route.
