Ukrzaliznytsia plans to introduce hourly Kyiv–Lviv service as part of its new 2026 timetable, which comes into effect on 14 December 2025. The company is shifting to a takt-based schedule on this key corridor, offering stable, repeatable departure times throughout the year.
The model, widely used in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, and other European countries with advanced rail systems, has already been tested in Ukraine on the Kyiv City Express. Ukrzaliznytsia says the new pattern will help distribute passenger demand more evenly across the day and reduce peak-time congestion.
In addition to the hourly Kyiv–Lviv service, the 2026 schedule will introduce 11 new routes: three domestic and eight international.
Domestically, new services will connect Barvinkove (near Sloviansk) with Chop, and Kryvyi Rih with Ivano-Frankivsk. The existing Kharkiv–Lviv train will also receive an extended route, running from Kharkiv all the way to Uzhhorod starting 14 December.
More details on the international additions are expected as Ukrzaliznytsia finalizes the timetable.
