Ukrainian Railways facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This page is about the Ukrainian railway company. For an overview of rail transport in Ukraine, see Rail transport in Ukraine.

Quick facts for kids
Ukrainian Railways
Укрзалізниця

Type	joint-stock company
Industry	Railway transportation, Railway infrastructure, intermodal freight transport
Founded	1991
Headquarters	5 Jerzy Giedroyc Street [uk], Kyiv, Ukraine, 03680
Number of locations	1,700 stations and halts
Area served	Ukraine
Key people	Yevhen Liashchenko [uk] (CEO)
Products	Rail transport services (passenger & cargo)
Revenue	₴20.06 billion (2017)
Net income	₴203.8 million (2018)
Owner	Ukraine (100%)
Number of employees	403,000 (2011)
Parent	Ministry of Infrastructure
Divisions	6 branches (Kyiv, Donetsk, Lviv, Odesa, Kharkiv, Dnipro)

Ukrainian Railways or Ukrzaliznytsia (UZ) (Ukrainian: Укрзалізниця) is a big company that runs almost all the trains in Ukraine. It's owned by the Ukrainian government. This company manages the railway tracks and provides train services for both people and goods.

Ukrainian Railways is one of the largest train companies in the world. It ranks sixth for carrying passengers and seventh for moving cargo. In 2020, its main railway network was about 19,787 kilometers (12,295 miles) long. This makes it the 13th largest railway network globally. Most of its tracks are "broad-gauge" (1,520 mm wide). Ukraine is also adding more "standard-gauge" tracks (1,435 mm wide). This helps connect Ukraine better with countries in the European Union.

In 2015, Ukrainian Railways changed from a government agency to a public company. It is still owned by the state. The company works under the Ministry of Infrastructure. It manages railways through six local railway companies. These companies handle all parts of train travel and maintenance. The head of Ukrainian Railways is chosen by the Ukrainian government. The company employs over 403,000 people across the country.

During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian Railways kept working. It helped millions of people escape from cities to safer places, including other countries in Europe. The train tracks between Ukraine and Russia were destroyed by Ukrainian forces. This was to stop Russian forces from using them. However, trains continued to run within Ukraine. They also ran between Ukraine and countries like Poland, Hungary, Moldova, and Slovakia. One old train line to Poland was quickly rebuilt. Other lines, previously only for cargo, were opened for passengers. The train service helped more than two million people leave Ukraine on special evacuation trains. When some Black Sea ports became unsafe for exporting grain, trains became a key way to send grain to Europe. Some railway sections in the North and South of Ukraine became unusable due to the conflict.

How Ukrainian Railways Works

Money Matters

Ukrainian Railways is a very busy company. In 2008, it moved about 498.5 million tons of goods within Ukraine. It also moved 69.8 million tons of goods across its borders. The company also carried about 518.8 million passengers that year. In 2008, its total budget was over 40 billion Ukrainian hryvnias (about 5 billion US dollars).

By the end of 2005, the railways made a profit of about 1.76 billion hryvnias (220 million US dollars). This profit came from freight, passenger services, and other related activities. In 2017, Ukrainian Railways was the fourth most profitable company in Ukraine. It earned 74 billion hryvnias that year.

How the Company is Organized

Different parts of Ukrainian Railways

Ukrainian Railways is divided into six local railway companies. These are: Donetsk, Lviv, Odesa, Southern, South-Western, and Near-Dnipro. This division is for management purposes. It does not mean that each company only runs trains on certain lines. The names of these regions are old, coming from the Russian and Austro-Hungarian Empires. For example, the 'South-Western Railway' actually runs trains in the north-central part of Ukraine. The 'Southern Railway' operates in the east.

Each of these six local railways has its own main office. These offices are in the following cities:

Donetsk Railway – Lyman (This is a temporary office because Donetsk is currently controlled by the Russian military.)
Lviv Railway – Lviv
Odesa Railway – Odesa
Southern Railway – Kharkiv
Southwestern Railway – Kyiv
Cisdnieper Railway – Dnipro

Since 2014, the part of Crimean Railways in Crimea is no longer controlled by Ukraine. Each local railway is also divided into smaller areas. This helps manage local train lines, like those for daily commuters.

Making Changes to the Company

Ukrainian Railways has faced some challenges from its past. The company is working on reforms to make things better. These changes aim to improve service quality and make the company more open.

New Laws for Railways

A new law called "On Railway Transport of Ukraine" is being created. This law aims to make Ukrainian railway rules similar to those in the European Union. It explains the duties and rights of the company that manages tracks, the train operators, and track owners. It also sets rules for managing tracks and train cars. The law also plans to create a system to keep railways safe. This will help make train travel safer as more companies might join the railway market. Experts from Europe support this new law.

Changing the Company's Structure

The company plans to divide its operations into different parts. By the end of 2021, it aims to have separate groups for freight, passengers, production, and infrastructure. This will help make it clear how money is used in each part of the company. It will also improve how each activity is managed. This change will help Ukrainian Railways get ready for other private companies to offer train services in the future.

Other Companies and Partners

Ukrainian Railways works with or owns several other train and railway companies.

Trains and Equipment

A common Ukrainian CHS2K train engine, pulling a long-distance passenger train.

An electric train engine called DE1, made in Ukraine after the fall of the Soviet Union.

Ukrzaliznytsia has several factories that can fix and build train engines and cars. There are also other factories like Kryukiv Railcar Engineering Factory and Dnieper Railcar Engineering. These factories also build train cars for Ukrainian Railways and other companies.

A D1 diesel train near Khust.

The Kyiv Boryspil Express.

In 2010, Ukrainian Railways agreed to buy 10 fast intercity trains from Hyundai Rotem. They also thought about buying many more or even building them together in Ukraine. The first trains arrived in 2012 and started running. These trains, called Inter City+, connect Kyiv with cities like Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Lviv. Later, they also connected to Dnipro and Odesa.

In 2011, Ukrainian Railways planned to buy 433 electric freight train engines. However, due to the 2014 Russian invasion of Ukraine, some companies that made these engines were put on a sanctions list. Because of the Russo-Ukrainian War, some factories that made train engines and cars were lost. These included Luhanskteplovoz and Stakhanov Railcar Engineering. Train services were also affected at the start of the war in February 2022. Train stations were even used as bomb shelters.

In 2017, Ukrainian Railways and GE Transportation agreed to work together for seven years. This plan included getting 30 new train engines for Ukrzaliznytsia in September 2018. Forty percent of these engines were to be made in Ukraine.

Train Engines (Locomotives)

Ukrainian Railways uses many different types of train engines. Some are electric, and some are diesel. They come from various manufacturers and were built over many years. Some older models are still in use, while newer ones are being added.

Class	Type	Number	Manufacturer	Built	Notes
2EL4	Electric train engine (3 KV DC)	6	Luhanskteplovoz	2009-2013
2EL5	Electric train engine (25 kV AC)	20	Luhanskteplovoz	2005-
2ES10	Electric train engine (3 kV DC)	50	Ural Locomotives	2013-2017
2ES5K	Electric train engine (25 kV AC)	15	Novocherkassk Electric Locomotive Plant	2004
ChS2	Electric train engine (3 kV DC)	111	Škoda Works	1958-1976
ChS4	Electric train engine (25kV AC)	150	Škoda Works	1963-1972
ChS7	Electric train engine (3 kV DC)	27	Škoda Works	1983-1989
ChS8	Electric train engine (25 kV AC)	36	Škoda Works	1983–89
DE1	Electric train engine (3 kV DC)	40	NPO DEVZ	1997–2008
DS3	Electric train engine (25 kV AC)	16	GP NPK	2003–08
VL8	Electric train engine (3 kV DC)	~200	Novocherkassk Electric Locomotive Plant	1953–67	Some were destroyed during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
VL10	Electric train engine (3 kV DC)	~240	Novocherkassk Electric Locomotive Plant	1961–1989
VL11	Electric train engine (3 kV DC)	112	Tbilisi electric locomotive builder plant	1975-1978
VL40^U	Electric train engine (25 kV AC)	6	Zaporizhzhia Electric Locomotive Plant	2004
VL60	Electric train engine (25 kV AC)		Novocherkassk Electric Locomotive Plant	1957-1967
VL80	Electric train engine (25 kV AC)		Novocherkassk Electric Locomotive Plant	1961-1995
VL82	Electric train engine (3 kV DC + 25 kV AC)		Novocherkassk Electric Locomotive Plant	1966-1979
2TE116	Diesel-electric train engine		Luhanskteplovoz	1971-2015
2ТЕ121	Diesel-electric train engine	76	Luhanskteplovoz	1978-1992
M62	Diesel-electric train engine		Luhanskteplovoz	1965-1990
2M62	Diesel-electric train engine		Luhanskteplovoz	1976-1990
TEP70	Diesel-electric train engine		Kolomna Locomotive Works	1973
TEP150	Diesel-electric train engine	4	Luhanskteplovoz	2005
TE33A	Diesel-electric train engine	70	General Electric Transportation/JSC Lokomotiv	2019-
ChME3	Diesel-electric shunting engine		ČKD	1963-1994
TEM2	Diesel-electric shunting engine		Bryansk and Luhansk Locomotive Works	1967–1987
TEM18	Diesel-electric shunting engine		Bryansk and Luhansk Locomotive Works	1992-
TEM103	Diesel-electric shunting engine	1	Electrotyazhmash	2005
TGK2	Diesel-hydraulic shunting engine		Kaluga Machine Building Plant	1960-2008
TGM4B	Diesel-hydraulic shunting engine		Lyudinovsky Locomotive Plant	1971-1989
TGM6	Diesel-hydraulic shunting engine		Lyudinovsky Diesel Locomotive Plant	1966-
TGM23	Diesel-hydraulic shunting engine		Murom Diesel Locomotive Plant	1960-
TU2	Diesel-electric train engine	6	Kaluga Machine Building Plant	1955-1959	Used on narrow gauge lines.
TU7	Diesel-hydraulic train engine	1	Kambarka Engineering Works	1971	Used on Antonivka narrow gauge line.
ER	Steam train engine	2	Zegelsky Locomotive Works/Reșița Works	1951	Used for special tourist trips.
L	Steam train engine	1	Luhanskteplovoz	1953	Used for special tourist trips.
SU	Steam train engine	1	Krasnoye Sormovo Factory	1949	Used for special tourist trips.
GR	Steam train engine	1	Lokomotivbau Karl Marx Babelsberg	1951	Used for tourist services on Antonivka narrow gauge line.

Passenger Trains and Railcars

Ukrainian Railways also uses many different types of passenger trains and railcars. These include electric and diesel multiple units. They are used for various services, from fast intercity travel to local suburban routes.

Class	Type	Number	Manufacturer	Built	Service
Hyundai Rotem HRCS2	Electric multiple unit (3kV DC/25 kV AC)	10	Hyundai Rotem	2011–2012	Intercity+
EKr-1	Electric multiple unit (3kV DC/25 kV AC)	2	Kryukiv Carriage Works	2011–2012	Intercity+
Skoda EJ 675	Electric multiple unit (3 kV DC/25 kV AC)	2	Škoda Transportation	2011–2012	Intercity+
ED2T	Electric multiple unit (3 kV DC)	3	Demikhovo	1998	Regional
ED4M	Electric multiple unit (3 kV DC)	1	Demikhovo	2011	Regional
EPL2T	Electric multiple unit (3 kV DC)	63	Luhanskteplovoz	2000-2008	Suburban
EPL9T	Electric multiple unit (25 kV AC)	77	Luhanskteplovoz	2001-2008	Suburban
ER1	Electric multiple unit (3 kV DC)		Rīgas Vagonbūves Rūpnīca	1957-1962	Suburban / Regional
ER2	Electric multiple unit (3 kV DC)	250+	Rīgas Vagonbūves Rūpnīca	1987-1996, 2000, 2003	Suburban / Regional
ER9	Electric multiple unit (25 kV AC)		Rīgas Vagonbūves Rūpnīca	1962-1964	Suburban / Regional
ET2	Electric multiple unit (3 kV DC)	1	Kryukiv Carriage Works	1995	Pivdena Railway
D1	Diesel multiple unit	40+	Ganz Works	1964-1988	Suburban / Regional
DR1	Diesel multiple unit		Rīgas Vagonbūves Rūpnīca	1963-2011	Suburban / Regional
DEL-02	Diesel multiple unit	6	Luhanskteplovoz	2003-2012	Regional
DPKr-2	Diesel multiple unit	1	Kryukiv Railway Car Building Works	2014	Regional
DPKr-3	Diesel multiple unit	6	Kryukiv Railway Car Building Works	2019, 2021	Regional
DPL1	Diesel train	6	Luhanskteplovoz	2007	Regional.
DPL2	Diesel train	6	Luhanskteplovoz	2001–2002	Regional.
RA2	Diesel multiple unit	1	Metrowagonmash	2007	Regional
Pesa 610m	Diesel multiple unit	1	Pesa Bydgoszcz	2004	Used for track inspection. It was also used as a mobile command center during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Pesa 620m	Diesel multiple unit	11	Pesa Bydgoszcz	2004–2013	Regional / Kyiv Boryspil Express
Pesa 630m	Diesel multiple unit	2	Pesa Bydgoszcz	2013	Regional
АS1А	Diesel railcar		Velykyluk Locomotive Repair Plant	1964-1980	Used for maintenance and checking tracks.
AChO	Diesel railcar	1	Škoda Transportation	1977-1978	Used for track inspection.

Getting New Trains

New Passenger Cars

In 2021, Ukrainian Railways planned to buy 100 new passenger cars from the Kryukiv Railway Car Building Works. Also in 2021, the company started using its first trains that are friendly for people with disabilities. These trains have special spaces for wheelchairs.

New Train Engines

In 2018, Ukrainian Railways bought 30 new diesel freight train engines from General Electric. These engines were called TE33AC Trident. This was the first step in a bigger plan to work together for 15 years. This plan included replacing and updating more of Ukraine's train equipment. Later, in 2020, the CEO of Ukrainian Railways said they might not need more diesel engines from GE. He said the company would focus on electric trains because they are more efficient.

In 2021, Ukrainian Railways planned to spend 4.7 billion hryvnias to fix its current train engines. Also, Alstom is interested in helping Ukrainian Railways get new train engines. They might even build some of them in Ukraine. Ukrainian Railways is interested in buying 50 electric freight engines from Alstom. The French government might help pay for these.

Facts and Figures

Here are some key numbers for Ukrainian Railways from 2020:

Total length of main tracks (1,520 mm wide): 19,787 kilometers (12,295 miles)
- Electrified tracks (where trains use electricity): 9,319 kilometers (5,790 miles)
Number of train stations: 1,402
Number of freight (cargo) wagons: 85,200
Number of passenger cars: 3,883 (with 2,681 actively used)
Number of train engines (locomotives): 1,944
- Electric train engines: 1,627
- Diesel train engines: 301
Average number of employees: 266,300 people
Passengers carried in 2019: 149.6 million
Cargo transported in 2019: 312.4 million tons

Types of Passenger Trains

The train station in Lviv.

Train lines are grouped into different types. These include local commuter trains, regional trains, intercity trains, and EuroCity trains. Daytime trains are also separate from night trains. Intercity lines have one, two, or three-digit codes. Local commuter lines have four-digit codes.

On April 27, 2011, Ukrainian Railways created a new system for classifying passenger trains. This was done to help passengers understand the quality of service they could expect. The new system is based on the type of train and its carriages.

The Chernihiv station building and platforms.

Here are the different classes of passenger trains, based on their service quality:

Daytime Passenger Trains:
- Euro City (EC) – These are fast trains (at least 90 km/h or 56 mph) for international travel. They offer very high comfort and service. They have first and standard classes.
- Inter City+ (IC+) – These are also fast trains (at least 90 km/h or 56 mph) for travel within Ukraine. They offer very high comfort and service. They have first and standard classes. These trains are currently operated by Hyundai Rotem HRCS2 multiple unit trains. They connect Kyiv with cities like Kharkiv, Lviv, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Pokrovsk, Kryvyi Rih, Konstantinivka, Odesa, Ternopil, and Kropyvnytskyi. There is also an international express train from Kyiv to Peremyshl (Poland).
- Inter City (IC) – These trains travel at medium speeds (70-90 km/h or 43-56 mph) within Ukraine. They offer a good level of service and comfort. They have first, standard, and economy classes. These trains are currently operated by Škoda UZ class 675 trains. They connect Kharkiv, Dnipro, and Donetsk.
- Regional Express (РЕ) – These trains also travel at medium speeds (70-90 km/h or 43-56 mph) within Ukraine. They offer a standard level of service and comfort. They have first, standard, and economy classes.
- Regional train (РП) – These trains travel at slower speeds (up to 70 km/h or 43 mph) within Ukraine. They offer a standard level of service and comfort. They have standard and economy classes.

Nighttime Passenger Trains:
- Euro Night (EN) – These are fast night trains (at least 90 km/h or 56 mph) for international travel. They offer very high comfort and service. They have 2-berth and 4-berth sleeping compartments.
- Night Express (НЕ) – These trains travel at medium speeds (70-90 km/h or 43-56 mph) for international and domestic travel. They offer a good level of service and comfort. They have 2-berth, 4-berth, and platskarta (open sleeping car) compartments.
- Night Fast (НШ) – These trains travel at medium-slower speeds (50-70 km/h or 31-43 mph) for international and domestic travel. They offer a good level of service and comfort. They have 2-berth, 4-berth, and platskarta compartments.
- Night Passenger (НП) – These trains travel at slower speeds (up to 50 km/h or 31 mph) for international and domestic travel. They offer a good level of service and comfort. They have 4-berth and platskarta compartments.

This new system helps Ukrainian Railways follow the rules of the European Union. It also makes it easier for people in Ukraine and other countries to understand the different train services.

Learning About Railways

The National Railway University in Dnipro is a place where people can study about railways. It has 10 different departments, a technical school, and a business school. It also has branches in Odesa and Lviv. The university has 450 professors and offers 39 different study programs related to railway transport.

Leaders of Ukrainian Railways

Ukrainian Railways' old logo, used from 1998 to 2018.

Ukrainian Railways' new logo on a train wagon.

The company has had many leaders since it was founded.

Presidents and General Directors

1991-1993 Borys Oliynyk (President)
1993-1997 Leonid Zheleznyak (General director)
1997-2000 Anatoliy Slobodyan
2000-2004 Heorhiy Kirpa
2005 Volodymyr Korniyenko
2005 Zenko Aftanaziv
2005-2006 Vasyl Hladkikh
2006-2007 Volodymyr Kozak
2007 Petro Naumenko
2007-2008 Vasyl Melnychuk
2008-2011 Mykhailo Kostiuk
2011-2012 Volodymyr Kozak
2013-2014 Serhiy Bolobolin
2014 Borys Ostapyuk
2014-2015 Maksym Blank (acting)
2015 Oleksandr Zavhorodniy (acting)

Board Directors

2015-2016 Oleksandr Zavhorodniy (acting)
2016 Yevhen Kravtsov (acting)
2016 Vitaliy Zhurakovskyi (acting)
2016-2017 Wojciech Balczun
2017-2020 Yevhen Kravtsov (acting)
2020 Marček Zhelko (acting)
2020 Ivan Yuryk (acting)
2020-2021 Volodymyr Zhmak
2021-2023 Oleksandr Kamyshin
2023-present Yevhen Liashchenko