Dynamic pricing in Ukrzaliznitsa

Dynamic pricing for premium segment tickets — the relevant order has been subject to public discussion and is coming into force

Ticket sales at new rates will begin on April 25. It has also been agreed to index fares in SV (luxury) cars of international trains

These changes will apply exclusively to travel in SV (luxury) and 1st class cars of Intercity trains in domestic connections. It is fundamentally important for the country to maintain the accessibility of transportation for citizens, including the accessibility of connections with front-line communities. That is why the fares for 2nd class tickets and in compartment and reserved seats cars remain socially oriented. The state has not revised their prices since 2021.

To improve the availability of seats, which is especially important during the peak season, which is not far off, the cost of tickets in the premium segment will be flexibly calibrated depending on four factors: 

1. Seasonality. During periods when trains are only 70–80% full, tickets will be cheaper. And in peak months, such as August, when demand is at its peak, the price will be higher. In total, there will be 16 seasonality zones that reflect the current calendar of holidays, vacations, etc. This will help passengers choose a more favorable time to travel, improve seat availability during peak periods and increase train occupancy during off-peak periods.

2. Day of the week. The lowest prices will be on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and the highest when the travel day falls on Fridays and Sundays, when demand is highest. Passengers who can change their travel date will receive additional motivation to do so, and their seats will be freed up for others on the most popular days.

3. Timeliness. The number of days before the train departure for which a ticket is purchased. Today, almost 30% of passengers buy tickets on the day of travel or two days before. The new approach will encourage planning trips in advance and buying tickets more profitably. This will allow the most effective use of rolling stock.

4. Occupancy. If the train is 90–100% full, the price may be higher. But if there are free seats before departure, the price will decrease. This will allow passengers who would otherwise choose a different class of travel to travel more affordably in 1st class or SV. The implementation of this mechanism requires further development of IT systems and will be implemented separately.

Dynamic pricing is a global practice that operates not only among the world's railways, but also among taxi operators and air transportation. The new rules will apply to less than 10% of passengers traveling in the premium segment; the rules do not change for others. 

Tariffs for travel in SV (luxury) cars of international trains will also be indexed by approximately 20%. According to the new tariffs, tickets for these cars will be sold on departure dates starting from April 18, 2026.

It is the seats in the SV cars of international trains that are traditionally bought up the fastest, which indicates increased and partially unmet demand in this segment. 

For other types of seats (1st and 2nd classes of "Intercity", coupe), Ukrzaliznytsia, having analyzed the current dynamics, decided to leave the cost of international trains unchanged this season. We expect that this will allow Ukrainians scattered around the world to visit home more often, and even better — to return home faster!