New Train to Boryspil Breaks Down on Way to Airport Two Weeks After Launch

Passengers had to be transferred to another train.

A new diesel train running from the capital's main passenger railway station, Kyiv-Pasazhyrskyi, to Boryspil International Airport stopped short of its destination on Tuesday afternoon, 7 January. 

Ukrzaliznytsia said that the train, which the company received in late December from the Kryukiv Railway Carriage Works, “made an emergency stop” at around 13:30 near Demiivska station. Passengers were transferred to another train.

“Railway workers made every effort to ensure passengers did not miss their flights,” the company said.

Ukrzaliznytsia has already begun talks with the plant.

“The incident will be investigated and appropriate claims will be filed against the manufacturer,” the company said.

According to data from Ukrzaliznytsia, the problem involves technical faults in the train.  

On 30 November 2018, Ukrzaliznytsia launched a specialised round-the-clock high-speed passenger rail service between Kyiv-Pasazhyrskyi railway station and Boryspil International Airport — the Kyiv Boryspil Express. The trains make about 24 trips a day, covering the distance from Kyiv's central railway station to the airport in 35-45 minutes.

The express broke down as early as the second day after its launch. Five kilometres from the airport, the train came to a halt, and passengers who were running late for their flights had to get off.

In late December 2019, Ukrzaliznytsia received a new train of Ukrainian manufacture, which was supposed to run to Boryspil airport. According to the company's head, Yevhen Kravtsov, the train has 3 carriages, is inclusive, environmentally safe, designed to European standards and can carry up to 470 passengers in a single trip.