Ukrzaliznytsia is preparing to review the approach to fares in the premium segment and on international routes. Changes in rules and tariffs are planned to be introduced in March-April, and the main innovation concerns tickets for SV and 1st class Intercity cars – dynamic pricing will appear there. This was reported by Ukrzaliznytsia.
Ukrzaliznytsia explained that from now on the ticket price will not be constant, but will be formed depending on the conditions that affect demand. The cost can be affected by various factors: the number of available seats, a specific flight, weather conditions and other circumstances that change passenger traffic. In fact, the system will work according to the principle familiar to airline passengers: the greater the demand and the fewer free seats, the more expensive the ticket.
At the same time, the authorities emphasize: the basic categories remain untouched. Deputy Minister of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine Oleksiy Balesta stated:
“At the same time, tickets for reserved seats, compartments and 2nd class Intercity remain unchanged – this is the principled position of the government so that rail transport continues to be accessible to people”.
Chairman of the Board of JSC “Ukrzaliznytsia” Oleksandr Pertsovsky detailed what mechanisms will form the new price. Dynamic pricing will cover the premium segment — SV and 1st class Intercity cars, and will also be supplemented by a system of coefficients that will respond to the season, day of the week, time of purchase and train occupancy.
In particular, seasonal coefficients are being introduced: in off-peak months, travel may cost less, and in periods of increased demand — more. An example is August, which is traditionally one of the busiest months for transportation.
The day of the week will be taken into account separately. The most affordable tickets are expected to be on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, while the most expensive are on Fridays and Sundays, when passenger traffic is usually the highest.
Another factor will be the time of purchase. Those who plan their trip in advance will be able to buy a ticket at a lower price, while in the last days before departure the price may be higher.
The system will also take into account the occupancy of the carriages: if the train is almost full, the cost of the ticket will increase, and if there are many free seats left before departure, the price, on the contrary, may decrease.
At the same time, Ukrzaliznytsia plans to change the rules for returning tickets in order to reduce the number of cases when seats are booked en masse “in reserve” and then given up at the last moment. At the same time, exceptions will apply to military personnel and people with disabilities – they will be able to return tickets without restrictions.
The company also emphasizes that if changes or problems arise due to UZ’s fault, passengers will receive full compensation online.
