Ukraine to launch direct rail route to Varna: a new way to the Bulgarian resort

The Ministry of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine has announced the preparation of a new international rail route that will connect Ukrainian cities with the Bulgarian resort of Varna. This was reported by the press service of the ministry.

Varna is often called the maritime capital of Bulgaria - it is the largest city on the Black Sea coast and one of the key tourist centers of the country. The new route aims to provide comfortable and fast connections for Ukrainian tourists, as well as strengthen economic and humanitarian ties with the countries of the European Union.

The launch of the route is planned for the summer season. The Ukrainian government and railway operators have now agreed on the main details of the route and train schedule. The train will run via Kyiv, Lviv, Chernivtsi, Suceava and Bucharest to Varna, which will optimize logistics and make the trip convenient for passengers.

The estimated travel time will be less than 30 hours, which is almost the same as a bus service, but provides a much higher level of comfort. The final schedule will be approved after the test train passes, which will help determine all the technical nuances of the route.

According to the head of the Ministry of Development and Trade Oleksiy Kuleba, the launch of a direct rail connection is not only about the convenience of travel. “These are new opportunities for the mobility of Ukrainians, strengthening economic and humanitarian ties with EU countries, and effective international logistics even in wartime,” he noted.

In addition, the Romanian side has previously agreed to include the route in the PSO (Public Service Obligation) mechanism, which opens up the possibility of reducing the cost of tickets for passengers. The next steps will be the finalization of the tariff decision and the passage of a test train, which will finally determine the technical parameters of the route and travel time.

The new line promises to be an important step in the development of Ukraine's international rail connections and will strengthen the connection of Ukrainian cities with popular tourist destinations in Europe, ensuring safe and comfortable transport even in difficult conditions.