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This page explains how to travel by train from Kyiv - Kyiv in Ukrainian, Kyiv in English or Russian - or Lviv to other European cities and how to buy tickets the cheapest way. Click here to buy tickets starting in another city. Information current for 2024.
Trains are running as shown below. For obvious reasons travel to Ukraine is not generally advised, www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/ukraine. But if you go, take the train!
Before you buy your tickets
Take a moment to read these tips for buying European train tickets. It answers all the usual questions, "Do I need to book in advance or can I buy at the station?", "Can I stop off?", "Are there Senior fares?" and that old favourite, "Should I buy an $800 railpass or a €35 point-to-point ticket?". How far ahead can you buy train tickets?
European train travel FAQ
Train travel within Ukraine
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Comfortable trains link most major towns & cities within Ukraine, see the Train Travel in Ukraine section.
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Fares are cheap by western standards: Kyiv to Lviv costs about 590 UAH in 1st class by IC+ train - about €18.
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You can book Ukrainian trains at the Ukrainian Railways website booking.uz.gov.ua/en.
Trains between Kyiv & Lviv
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Intercity+
The best trains between Kyiv & Lviv are the two daily IC+ Intercity trains (trains 705, 706, 715, 716). These are air-conditioned electric trains built by Hyundai like the one shown below. Fare around 590 UAH in 1st class, about €18.
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Intercity
Next best is the daily IC Intercity train 749, this uses modernised classic sleeper cars in daytime mode, 4 people to a compartment in 1st class, 6 people in 2nd class.
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Sleeper trains
There are various time-effective sleeper trains, some heading off to other destinations, with 2-berth (lux), 4-berth (kupé) and open-plan bunks (platskartny). However, the best sleeper is train 91 (Kyiv-Lviv) & 92 (Lviv-Kyiv) which has 2-berth & 4-berth only, and runs only between Kyiv & Lviv.
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There are a motley assortment of other trains on their way to or from somewhere else, I'd ignore these unless other trains are fully-booked.
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Buy tickets at the Ukrainian Railways website booking.uz.gov.ua/en.
Kyiv or Lviv to London
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See the UK to Ukraine page, this covers travel in both directions. Service still running in spite of the war.
Kyiv or Lviv to Paris
These routes are still running in spite of the war.
Option 1, Kyiv or Lviv to Paris using the Kyiv-Vienna & Vienna-Paris sleepers - easy to book, often sells out
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Step 1, travel from Kyiv or Lviv to Vienna by daily direct sleeping-car as shown below.
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Step 2, travel from Vienna to Paris by Nightjet sleeper train 3 times a week, as shown here .
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You leave Kyiv at lunchtime on day 1, arriving Paris Gare de l'Est in the morning of day 3.
Option 2, Kyiv or Lviv to Paris using the Kyiv-Budapest & Vienna-Paris sleepers - easy to book, good availability
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Day 1, travel from Kyiv or Lviv to Budapest by sleeper train Transcarpathia as shown below.
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Day 2, travel from Budapest to Vienna by railjet, leaving Budapest Keleti at 07:40, arriving Vienna Hbf 10:20.
The railjet has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Book this at www.thetrainline.com or www.oebb.at.
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Day 2, travel from Vienna to Paris by Nightjet sleeper train 3 times a week, as shown here.
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You leave Kyiv 10:16 on day 1, arriving Paris 09:39 on day 3.
Option 3, Kyiv to Paris using the Kyiv-Warsaw sleeper - can be hard to book
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Day 1, travel from Kyiv to Warsaw Centralna overnight by Kyiv Express sleeper train as shown here.
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Day 2, travel from Warsaw Centralna to Berlin Hbf by EuroCity train, leaving Warsaw Centralna at 13:00, arriving Berlin Hbf 18:06.
See timetable & travel tips for Warsaw-Berlin trains here.
Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
I recommend registering when prompted, so you can log on at any time and check or reprint tickets. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Stay overnight in Berlin. Top choice here is the InterCity Hotel Berlin Hbf (my favourite), only 200m from Berlin Hbf's main entrance, relatively inexpensive with great reviews, or if you're in the money, the excellent 5-star Steigenberger Hotel just outside the station. If you're on a budget, the cheaper 3-star Motel One Berlin-Hbf is behind the station or use www.hostelworld.com. Of course, if you really want to push the boat out, the famous Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin is next to the Brandenburg Gate just 17 minutes walk away.
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Day 3, travel from Berlin to Paris by direct ICE:
Until 13 December 2025, leave Berlin Hbf at 11:54 every day, arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 19:55.
From 14 December 2025, leave Berlin Hbf at 07:06 every day, arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 14:52.
This is a convenient direct ICE3 train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st class, a steward takes food & drink orders and serves you at your seat.
Or if you prefer, there are a couple of earlier departures with a change of train:
Leave Berlin Hbf 07:57, change at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf, arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 16:52.
Leave Berlin Hbf 08:29, change at Karlsruhe, arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 18:15.
Fares start at €59.90 in 2nd class or €89.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Buy a Berlin-Paris ticket at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
If you're not planning to take the direct train, change Transfer time from normal to 40 minutes to get a more robust connection.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check or re-print tickets at any time. You print your own ticket or show it on your phone.
Kyiv or Lviv to Brussels
These routes are still running in spite of the war.
Option 1, Kyiv or Lviv to Brussels using the Kyiv-Vienna & Vienna-Brussels sleepers - easy to book, often sells out
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Step 1, travel from Kyiv or Lviv to Vienna by daily direct sleeping-car as shown below.
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Step 2, travel from Vienna to Brussels by Nightjet sleeper train 3 times a week, as shown here.
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You leave Kyiv at lunchtime on day 1, arriving Vienna Hbf late morning day 2. Have some free time in Vienna. Leave Vienna Hbf in the evening of day 2, arriving Brussels Midi in the morning of day 3.
Option 2, Kyiv or Lviv to Brussels using the Kyiv-Budapest & Vienna-Brussels sleepers - easy to book, good availability
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Day 1, travel from Kyiv or Lviv to Budapest by sleeper train Transcarpathia as shown below.
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Day 2, travel from Budapest to Vienna by railjet, leaving Budapest Keleti at 07:40, arriving Vienna Hbf 10:20.
The railjet has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Book this at www.thetrainline.com or www.oebb.at.
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Day 2, travel from Vienna to Brussels by Nightjet sleeper train 3 times a week, as shown here.
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You leave Kyiv 10:16 on day 1, arriving Brussels 09:55 on day 3.
Option 3, Kyiv to Brussels using the Kyiv-Warsaw sleeper - can be hard to book
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Day 1, travel from Kyiv to Warsaw Centralna overnight by Kyiv Express sleeper train as shown here. Book this as shown.
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Day 2, travel from Warsaw Centralna to Berlin Hbf by EuroCity, leaving Warsaw Centralna at 13:00, arriving Berlin Hbf 18:06.
This comfortable air-conditioned EuroCity train has a restaurant car. More about Warsaw-Berlin trains.
Fares start at €27.99 in 2nd class or €39.99 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book Warsaw to Berlin at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking usually opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted, so you can log on at any time and check or reprint tickets. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Stay overnight in Berlin. Top choice here is the InterCity Hotel Berlin Hbf (my favourite), only 200m from Berlin Hbf's main entrance, relatively inexpensive with great reviews, or if you're in the money, the excellent 5-star Steigenberger Hotel just outside the station. If you're on a budget, the cheaper 3-star Motel One Berlin-Hbf is behind the station or use www.hostelworld.com. Of course, if you really want to push the boat out, the famous Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin is next to the Brandenburg Gate just 17 minutes walk away.
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Day 3, travel from Berlin to Brussels, for example leaving Berlin Hbf at 06:57, change at Cologne Hbf, arriving Brussels Midi 13:35.
By all means have a leisurely breakfast and book the later 08:57 or 10:57 departures. You travel on superb ICE trains with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Exact times may vary.
Fares start at €46.99 in 2nd class or €79.99 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Check times and book from Berlin to Brussels at int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or show it on your phone.
You leave Kyiv in the evening of day 1 and arrive Brussels Midi at lunchtime on day 3.
Kyiv or Lviv to Amsterdam
These routes are still running in spite of the war.
Option 1, Kyiv or Lviv to Amsterdam using the Kyiv-Vienna & Vienna-Amsterdam sleepers - easy to book, often sells out
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Step 1, travel from Kyiv or Lviv to Vienna by daily direct sleeping-car as shown below.
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Step 2, travel from Vienna to Amsterdam by Nightjet sleeper train every day, as shown here.
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You leave Kyiv at lunchtime on day 1, arriving Vienna Hbf late morning day 2. Have some free time in Vienna. Leave Vienna Hbf in the evening of day 2, arriving Amsterdam Centraal in the morning of day 3.
Option 2, Kyiv or Lviv to Amsterdam using the Kyiv-Budapest & Vienna-Amsterdam sleepers - easy to book, good availability
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Day 1, travel from Kyiv or Lviv to Budapest by sleeper train Transcarpathia as shown below.
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Day 2, travel from Budapest to Vienna by railjet, leaving Budapest Keleti at 07:40, arriving Vienna Hbf 10:20.
The railjet has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Book this at www.thetrainline.com or www.oebb.at.
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Day 2, travel from Vienna to Amsterdam by Nightjet sleeper train 3 times a week, as shown here.
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You leave Kyiv 10:16 on day 1, arriving Paris 09:50 on day 3.
Option 3, Kyiv to Amsterdam using the Kyiv-Warsaw sleeper - can be difficult to book
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Day 1, travel from Kyiv to Warsaw Centralna overnight by Kyiv Express sleeper train as shown here. Book as shown.
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Day 2, travel from Warsaw Centralna to Berlin Hbf by EuroCity train, leaving Warsaw Centralna at 13:00, arriving Berlin Hbf 18:06.
This comfortable EuroCity train has a restaurant car serving meals, beer & wine. See timetable & tips for Warsaw-Berlin trains.
Fares start at €27.99 in 2nd class or €39.99 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book Warsaw to Berlin at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering when prompted, so you can log on at any time and check or reprint tickets. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Stay overnight in Berlin. Top choice here is the InterCity Hotel Berlin Hbf (my favourite), only 200m from Berlin Hbf's main entrance, relatively inexpensive with great reviews, or if you're in the money, the excellent 5-star Steigenberger Hotel just outside the station. If you're on a budget, the cheaper 3-star Motel One Berlin-Hbf is behind the station or use www.hostelworld.com. Of course, if you really want to push the boat out, the famous Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin is next to the Brandenburg Gate just 17 minutes walk away.
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Day 3, travel from Berlin to Amsterdam by InterCity train, leaving Berlin Hbf at 06:06, arriving Amsterdam Centraal 11:59.
Or leave Berlin Hbf at 08:06 arriving Amsterdam Centraal 13:59.
Or book a later train, they leave every 2 hours, see the timetable here.
Fares start at €37.99 in 2nd class or €69.99 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or show it on your phone.
You leave Kyiv in the evening of day 1 and arrive Amsterdam Centraal at lunchtime on day 3.
Kyiv or Lviv to Luxembourg
These routes are still running in spite of the war.
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Step 1, travel from Kyiv or Lviv to Vienna by daily direct sleeping-car as shown below.
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Step 2, travel from Vienna to Luxembourg using the Vienna-Cologne Nightjet sleeper train 3 times a week, as shown here.
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You leave Kyiv at lunchtime on day 1, arriving Vienna Hbf late morning day 2. Have some free time in Vienna. Leave Vienna Hbf in the evening of day 2, arriving Luxembourg late morning on day 3.
Kyiv or Lviv to Zurich & Switzerland
This route is still running in spite of the war.
Option 1, Kyiv or Lviv to Switzerland using the Kyiv/Lviv-Vienna sleeping-cars - easy to book, but often sells out
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Step 1, take the direct sleeping-car from Kyiv or Lviv to Vienna as shown here. Book as shown.
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Step 2, take the 13:28 railjet train from Vienna to Zurich via the scenic Arlberg Pass, arriving in the evening.
Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class or €39.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, a bit more fiddly, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.
Option 2, Kyiv or Lviv to Switzerland using the Kyiv-Budapest sleeper - easy to book, good availability
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Day 1, travel from Kyiv or Lviv to Budapest by sleeper train Transcarpathia as shown below.
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Day 2, travel from Budapest to Zurich by railjet, leaving Budapest Keleti at 06:40, arriving Zurich HB 17:20.
The railjet has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Book this at www.thetrainline.com or www.oebb.at.
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You leave Kyiv 10:16 on day 1, arriving Zurich 17:20 on day 2.
Kyiv or Lviv to Venice, Milan, Florence, Rome & Italy
This route is still running in spite of the war.
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Step 1, take the direct sleeping-car from Kyiv or Lviv to Vienna as shown here. Book this as shown.
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Step 2, take the 12:24 railjet train to Venice arriving 20:04 as shown here. You leave Kyiv or Lviv on day 1 and arrive in Venice on day 2.
Or spend the day in Vienna and take the Nightjet sleeper train to Venice, Milan, Florence or Rome as shown here. You leave Kyiv or Lviv on day 1, and arrive Milan, Florence or Rome on day 3.
Book the Vienna-Italy train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, more fiddly, same prices).
Kyiv or Lviv to Barcelona & Spain
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Day 1, take the direct sleeping-car from Kyiv or Lviv to Vienna overnight as shown here. Book this as shown.
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Day 2, travel from Vienna to Paris overnight, either by 3 times a week sleeper, or sleeper to Zurich then TGV to Paris, as shown here.
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Day 3, travel from Paris to Barcelona by TGV Duplex, leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 14:42, arriving Barcelona Sants 21:29.
The impressive 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has 1st & 2nd class, a café-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Book an upper deck seat for the best views.
The train speeds along the Rhône valley past pretty villages & picturesque churches, then past Béziers cathedral, flamingos on the étangs (lakes) in southern France, the Fort de Salses approaching Perpignan and the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou in the Pyrenees. More about the journey.
Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.
Booking opens 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Stay overnight in Barcelona. The Hotel Barcelo Sants is the top choice here, it's part of Barcelona Sants station so easy to use when arriving & departing by train, with great reviews & good feedback from Seat61 users. See other suggested hotels near the station.
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Day 4, travel from Barcelona to other Spanish destinations next morning.
For Madrid: AVE S103 high-speed trains link Barcelona Sants & Madrid Atocha every hour or two in as little as 2h30.
For Granada: Leave Barcelona Sants at 06:45 by AVE 112 high-speed train, arriving Granada at 13:11.
For Malaga: Leave Barcelona Sants at 08:35 by AVE S103 high-speed train, arriving Malaga Maria Zambrano 15:05.
For Cordoba & Seville: Leave Barcelona Sants at 08:35 by AVE S103 high-speed train, arriving Cordoba 13:27 & Seville Santa Justa 14:32.
For Valencia & Alicante: Euromed trains link Barcelona Sants with Valencia & Alicante regularly through the day, for example one leaves Barcelona Sants at 07:15 Mondays-Saturdays arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla 10:10 & Alicante 12:38 or at 10:15 every day arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla 13:13 & Alicante 15:32.
For Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña & Vigo, there's a morning Alvia train to Galicia, see details here.
Book Spanish trains at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com. Booking opens anything from 15 days to 9 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Kyiv to Berlin
Option 1, using the Kyiv-Warsaw sleeper train - still running in spite of the war, can be difficult to book
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Day 1, travel from Kyiv to Warsaw Centralna by Kyiv Express sleeper train booked as shown here.
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Day 2, travel from Warsaw Centralna to Berlin Hbf by EuroCity train, leaving Warsaw Centralna at 13:00, arriving Berlin Hbf 18:06.
This comfortable air-conditioned EuroCity train has a restaurant car. More about Warsaw-Berlin trains.
Fares start at €27.99 in 2nd class or €39.99 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book from Warsaw to Berlin at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or show it on your phone.
Option 2, Kyiv or Lviv to Prague via Krakow - easy to book, good availability
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Day 1, travel from Kyiv or Lviv to Krakow by daytime train with Regiojet, as shown here.
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Stay overnight in Krakow. Hotels next to the station with great reviews include the PURO Hotel or for something inexpensive, the Polonia Hotel. For a longer stay, see suggested hotels in the old town.
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Travel from Krakow to Berlin by comfortable daytime train with restaurant car, see the timetable here.
Book this with German Railways at int.bahn.de.
Kyiv or Lviv to Cologne, Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg & Germany
Option 1, via Vienna - easy to book, often sells out
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Step 1, take the direct sleeping-car from Kyiv or Lviv to Vienna as shown above. Book this as shown.
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Step 2, allow at least an hour between trains in Vienna. Then book a connection from Vienna to Munich, Frankfurt or anywhere in Germany at the German Railways website int.bahn.de. You leave Kyiv or Lviv on day 1, arrive in Germany on day 2.
Option 2, Kyiv or Lviv to Germany using the Kyiv-Budapest sleeper - easy to book, good availability
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Day 1, travel from Kyiv or Lviv to Budapest by sleeper train Transcarpathia as shown below.
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Day 2, travel from Budapest to Munich by railjet, leaving Budapest Keleti at 07:40, arriving Munich Hbf 14:32.
The railjet has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Book this at www.thetrainline.com or www.oebb.at.
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Day 2, change in Munich for onward trains to Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Cologne.
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You leave Kyiv 10:16 on day 1, arriving Munich 14:32 on day 2.
Kyiv or Lviv to Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm & Scandinavia
Option 1, Kyiv to Kyiv to Copenhagen & Scandinavia using the Kyiv-Warsaw sleeper - still running in spite of the war
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Day 1, travel from Kyiv to Warsaw Centralna overnight by Kyiv Express sleeper train as shown here, book this as shown.
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Day 2, travel from Warsaw Centralna to Hamburg Hbf, leaving Warsaw Centralna at 13:00 by EuroCity train, change at Berlin Hbf onto a comfortable ICE train arriving Hamburg Hbf 20:23.
The EuroCity train has a restaurant car serving meals, snacks, beer & wine. See timetable & tips for Warsaw-Berlin trains. The ICE has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Fares start at €37.99 in 2nd class or €69.99 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book from Warsaw to Hamburg at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or show it on your phone.
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Stay overnight in Hamburg. The Hotel Reichshof Hamburg is the top choice here, just across the road 100m from the station's Kirchenallee exit, with art deco-based design and great reviews. Other hotels near Hamburg Hbf with good or great reviews include (starting with the cheapest) the Hotel Continental Novum, Hotel Furst Bismarck, Hotel Europaischer Hof, Hotel Atlantic Kempinski. If you're on a budget, cheap private rooms in the A&O Hotel near Hamburg Hbf can be booked at www.hostelworld.com.
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Day 3 morning, travel from Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train leaving Hamburg Hbf at 08:50, arriving Copenhagen at 13:38.
If you're only going as far as Copenhagen (or heading for Oslo by ferry), book Hamburg to Copenhagen from €27.99 2nd class or €47.99 in 1st at int.bahn.de. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Day 3 afternoon, travel from Copenhagen to Norway or Sweden.
For Stockholm, travel onwards from Copenhagen to Stockholm by X2000 train. If you take the 08:50 from Hamburg you'll make the 14:19 X2000 from Copenhagen arriving Stockholm Central at 19:37 (times may vary, check online). Book Hamburg to Stockholm as one transaction at int.bahn.de, looking for the 08:50 departure with 1 change. An additional change at Malmö Central may be necessary at times.
For Malmö or Gothenburg, travel from Copenhagen to Malmö or Gothenburg by Öresund train, these run from Copenhagen to Malmö Central several times each hour taking 39 minutes, and once an hour to Gothenburg taking 3h50. Book from Hamburg to Malmö or Gothenburg as one transaction at int.bahn.de. Gothenburg is listed as Göteborg Central.
Kyiv or Lviv to Budapest & Vienna
Option 1, Budapest to Lviv & Kyiv on the Transcarpathia
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Starting in December 2024, a direct Ukrainian sleeper train links Kyiv & Lviv with Budapest every day.
The Transcarpathia leaves Kyiv at 10:16 & Lviv at 17:01, arriving Budapest Keleti 06:00 next day.
The train consists of up to 8 Ukrainian sleeping-cars, with one car of 1st class 2-berth compartments (spalny vagon), and up to 7 cars of 2nd class 4-berth compartments (kupé).
Bedding is provided, there are toilets & washrooms at the end of the corridor. The sleeper attendants can provide snacks and delicious Ukrainian tea, but bring your own food as there's no catering car. The train is jacked up at Chop on the Ukrainian border to have its bogies changed from Ukrainian gauge (5') to standard gauge (4' 8½").
You can check the consist and car numbers for this train using www.vagonweb.cz. Change cs to English upper left, then click Train formations, and search for Transcarpathia.
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Fares start at:
€63.10 with a bed in a 2nd class 4-berth sleeper
€76.10 with a bed in a 2-berth 1st class sleeper.
These are limited-availability fares book online in advance.
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Buy tickets at the Hungarian Railways website www.mavcsoport.hu, see my tips for using it.
Booking opens 3 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone in the MAV app.
Tip: You should select 2-bed compartment (double) or sleeping-car, 4-bed compartment. Single and triple options are shown, but result in a ticket without reservation. If it says x Reservation not included, do not proceed. Like I said, select double or 4-berth!
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For Vienna, travel from Budapest to Vienna by railjet, leaving Budapest Keleti at 07:40, arriving Vienna Hbf 10:20.
The railjet has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Book this at www.thetrainline.com or www.oebb.at.
Above left, the Transcarpathia on its first day of operation. Above right, a 1st class 2-bed sleeper. Courtesy of Ukrainian Railways Укрзалізниця
Option 2, Kyiv or Lviv to Budapest by sleeper train- still running in spite of the war.
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Two direct sleeping-cars leave Kyiv main station at 13:23 & Lviv at 20:08 every day, arriving Budapest Keleti 08:20 & Vienna Hbf 11:20.
From 14 December 2025 the train will leave Kyiv at 11:20 & Lviv at 18:09 every day, arriving Budapest Kelenfold 06:16 & Vienna Hbf 08:53.
The sleeping-cars have 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, see the photos below. At Chop on the border with Slovakia the through sleeping-cars are jacked up to have their wheelsets changed from Russian gauge used in Ukraine (5') to European standard gauge (4'8½").
A Hungarian restaurant car operates between Zahony (on the Ukrainian border just after Chop) and Vienna, treat yourself to a cooked breakfast.
These direct sleeping-cars are popular and usually leave fully-booked, so book ahead.
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How much does it cost?
Vienna to Lviv costs €71.20 in a 3-berth sleeper, €79.20 in a 2-berth sleeper or around €130 in a single sleeper.
Vienna to Kyiv costs €89.60 in a 3-berth sleeper, €99.60 in a 2-berth sleeper or around €170 in a single sleeper.
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How to book if you're going to Budapest
Book at the Hungarian Railways website www.mavcsoport.hu, see my tips for using it.
Booking opens 20 days ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it in the MAV app. Feedback appreciated.
Only a small number of westbound berths are allocated to the Hungarian system for travel to Budapest, so if this method doesn't work, try booking to Vienna using www.oebb.at as shown below and simply get off in Budapest. Or use option 1 instead, which has far better availability.
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How to book if you're going to Vienna
Book at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at. Booking opens 20 days ahead.
Tickets often sell out a day or two after booking opens, so book as soon as booking opens. If the ÖBB website says Ticket not available within 20 days it means fully-booked, if it says that more than 20 days ahead it means booking isn't open yet.
Tickets can now be printed out so you can book in either direction, but they cannot be shown on a mobile device.
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Or buy at the station in Ukraine
The Ukrainian Railways have their own larger allocation of westbound berths, but this sleeper does usually leave fully-booked so you can't rely on getting places at short notice unless you're lucky.
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Change in Vienna for Linz, Salzburg, Innsbruck. I'd allow at least an hour between trains at Vienna Hbf. Book the Austrian domestic train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, a bit more fiddly, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.
Option 3, Kyiv or Lviv to Budapest via Mukachevo.
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Day 1, travel from Kyiv or Lviv to Mukachevo (often spelt Mukacheve) on one of these two trains:
Train 29 leaves Kyiv at 19:26 or Lviv at 02:25, arriving Mukachevo 06:14.
Train 17 leaves Kyiv at 21:33 or Lviv at 04:29, arriving Mukachevo 08:18.
Train 81 has kupé and platskartny. Train 29 has kupé.
Times may vary so check online, always allow at least an hour between trains at Mukachevo.
The fare from Kyiv to Mukachevo in a 2nd class kupé 4-berth is around 670 UAH, about €17, but it varies.
Buy tickets at the Ukrainian Railways website booking.uz.gov.ua/en or buy at the station.
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Day 2, travel from Mukachevo to Budapest by Hungarian InterCity train Latorca, leaving Mukachevo at 10:30, arriving Budapest Nyugati 16:39.
Just one through carriage runs direct from Mukachevo to Budapest, a Hungarian air-conditioned 2nd class car with open-plan seats, power sockets for laptops & mobiles.
Fares start at €19.80.
Buy tickets at the Hungarian Railways website www.mavcsoport.hu, see my advice on using it.
Booking opens 60 days ahead.
Kyiv or Lviv to Prague & Bratislava
Option 1, Kyiv & Lviv to Prague by Regiojet sleeper train - running in spite of the war, easily bookable online, plenty of availability
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Private open-access train operator Regiojet offers a comfortable daily train service from Kyiv & Lviv to Prague:
Step 1, leave Kyiv daily at 12:06 & Lviv at 19:25 by seats train, arriving Przemysl 20:20.
Step 2, leave Przemysl at 22:10 by Regiojet sleeper train, arriving Prague Hlavni 06:39.
Regiojet sell this combo as a fully-integrated service, easy to book online with a through ticket, there are usually plenty of places available.
The Regiojet sleeper train has air-conditioned 4-berth couchette compartments which can be booked as private compartments for sole occupancy, or you can book individual couchettes in shared compartments at cheap prices. Bedding & bottled water is provided, a light breakfast with tea or coffee is included and there's free WiFi. The train also has ordinary seats, but a seat is a false economy for an overnight journey.
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Fares start at €58 with a berth in a shared compartment, or €119.90 for sole occupancy of a 4-berth couchette compartment for 1 to 4 people.
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Book at www.regiojet.com.
Booking only opens a month or two ahead, so don't be impatient. You print your ticket or show it on your phone.
Option 2, Kyiv or Lviv to Prague using the Kyiv-Vienna sleeper - running in spite of the war, often fully-booked
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Day 1, travel from Kyiv or Lviv to Vienna by daily direct sleeping-car as shown above. Book as shown.
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Day 2, travel from Vienna to Prague by railjet, leaving Vienna Hbf at 15:10, arriving Prague Hlavni 19:15.
Fares start at €19.90, book at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €).
Option 3, Kyiv or Lviv to Prague using the Kyiv-Budapest sleeper - running in spite of the war, easy to book, good availability.
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Day 1, travel from Kyiv or Lviv to Budapest by sleeper train Transcarpathia as shown below.
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Day 2, travel from Budapest to Bratislava or Prague by EuroCity, leaving Budapest Nyugati at 07:30, arriving Bratislava Hlavna 09:55 & Prague Hlavni 14:15.
The EuroCity train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Book this at www.thetrainline.com or www.oebb.at.
Option 4, Kyiv or Lviv to Prague via Krakow
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You could consider going from Kyiv or Lviv to Krakow by daytime train as shown here.
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Stay overnight in Krakow. Hotels next to the station with great reviews include the PURO Hotel or for something inexpensive, the Polonia Hotel. For a longer stay, see suggested hotels in the old town.
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Travel from Krakow to Prague by daytime train or spend a day there and take the sleeper, see the Krakow-Prague page for details.
Kyiv or Lviv to Ljubljana, Zagreb, Belgrade
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Step 1, travel from Kyiv or Lviv to Budapest as shown above.
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Step 2, see here for trains from Budapest to Ljubljana, Zagreb, Belgrade.
Kyiv or Lviv to Brasov, Bucharest & Romania
Option 1, by direct sleeper train - new from October 2025
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A sleeper train leaves Kyiv at 06:30, travelling through Moldova, arriving Bucharest Gara de Nord 06:47 next day.
The train has comfortable Ukrainian 4-berth sleepers.
This train started running in October 2025, in Chisinau it gets attached to the Chisinau-Bucharest sleeper train Prietenia.
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The fare is €73.40 with a bed in a 4-berth sleeper.
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Buy tickets from Romanian Railways at bileteinternationale.cfrcalatori.ro/en/booking/search.
This can book one-way or round trip in either direction. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Option 2, Kyiv to Romania via Moldova - with a day free in Moldova between trains
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Step 1, travel from Kyiv to Chişinău by overnight sleeper train as shown below.
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Spend a day in Chişinău.
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Step 2, travel from Chişinău to Bucharest by overnight sleeper train Prietenia, leaving Chişinău at 17:05, calling at Ungheni (Moldovan frontier) from 19:58 until 21:35 and arriving at Bucharest Gara de Nord at 06:35 next morning. More about the Chişinău-Bucharest train.
The Prietenia has 4-berth 2nd class sleepers and 1st class 2-berth sleepers.
The Prietenia can be booked at the Moldovan Railways website on.railway.md:10000/?lang=en. This can book the train in either direction with print-your-own tickets, it accepts foreign traveller passport numbers, and it has now been confirmed by several travellers that it works fine with international Visa & MasterCard credit cards.
Kyiv & Lviv to Warsaw
Option 1, Kyiv to Warsaw by Kyiv Express sleeper train - still running in spite of the war
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A comfortable direct sleeper train called the Kyiv Express links Kyiv and Warsaw every night, leaving Kyiv main station (also known as Kyiv Pass) at 20:21, arriving Warsaw Wschodnia at 10:11 next morning.
The train has comfortable Ukrainian 1, 2 & 3 bed sleepers with washbasin. Bring your own picnic and beer or wine as there's no catering car. The train is jacked up at the border to have its bogies changed from Russian 5' gauge to standard gauge (4' 8.5"), an interesting experience.
Don't book last minute, this train currently usually leaves fully-booked.
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The fare is around €50 with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper.
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You can book this train with Ukrainian Railways at booking.uz.gov.ua/en.
Booking opens 20 days before departure, if you look further ahead than this, no train will appear. It gets booked up fast. It only sells berths in 3-berth compartments, so if you want sole occupancy (or dual occupancy for two of you) then you will have to book all 3 berths in a compartment. You print your own ticket.
Important: You'll need a Ukrainian digital signature to book with Ukrainian Railways. Foreigners can get this by uploading their passports and a photo of themselves in the Ukrainian Railways app. The process takes a few minutes and you'll be verified after only a few hours.
Option 2, Lviv to Warsaw in a day via Rava-Ruska
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A Ukrainian train leaves Lviv at 13:29, arriving Rava-Ruska at 15:19.
A connecting Polish train leaves Rava-Ruska at 15:56 arriving Warsaw Centralna 22:20.
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The fare is around €49 in 2nd class.
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Buy tickets at the Ukrainian Railways website booking.uz.gov.ua/en.
When you see No direct trips found, click Transfer trips.
You'll need a Ukrainian digital signature to book with Ukrainian Railways, foreigners can get this by uploading their passports and a photo of themselves in the Ukrainian Railways app. The process takes a few minutes and you'll be verified after only a few hours.
Above: At Rava Ruska it's an easy cross-platform change between Ukrainian train (right) and Polish train (left). Ukrainian passport control takes place on the Polish train once everyone is on board, passports are taken away, processed and returned. Polish passport control takes place on the train at the first station in Poland. Courtesy of DiscoverByRail.com.
Option 3, Kyiv or Lviv to Warsaw by daytime trains with overnight stop in Krakow
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Day 1, travel from Kyiv or Lviv to Krakow with one easy change at Przemysl, as shown below.
If you use RegioJet's service it can easily be booked online without the need for a Ukrainian trusted profile/digital signature.
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Stay overnight in Krakow. Hotels next to the station with great reviews include the PURO Hotel or for something inexpensive, the Polonia Hotel. For a longer stay, see suggested hotels in the old town.
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Day 2, take any train you like from Krakow to Warsaw in as little as 2h19 for around €20, booked at Polish Railways www.intercity.pl with print-your-own tickets.
Kyiv & Lviv to Krakow
Option 1, Kyiv & Lviv to Krakow by Regiojet train - easy to book, good availability
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Private open-access train operator Regiojet runs a comfortable daily train service from Kyiv & Lviv to Krakow:
It leaves Kyiv daily at 12:06 & Lviv at 19:25, arriving Przemysl 20:20. Regiojet's train leaves Przemysl at 22:10, arriving Krakow Glowny 00:28.
This integrated service consists of a seats train from Kyiv & Lviv to Przemysl run by Ukrainian Railways then a train operated by Regiojet themselves from Przemysl to Krakow (it continues overnight to Prague). The Przemysl-Krakow train has comfortable air-conditioned cars with refreshments, free bottled water, power outlets & free WiFi.
Regiojet sells this combo as a fully-integrated service, making it very easy to book online with lots of capacity available.
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Fares start at €43.
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Book at www.regiojet.com.
Booking only opens a month or two ahead, so don't be impatient. You print your ticket or show it on your phone.
Option 2, Kyiv or Lviv to Krakow by daytime trains - still running in spite of the war, good availability, more effort to book
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You can travel from Kyiv or Lviv to Przemysl by Ukrainian train, and change onto a Polish Intercity train to Krakow:
Leave Kyiv 21:09 or Lviv 04:13 on train 51, change in Przemysl (arrive 06:29, depart 08:15) and arrive Krakow Glowny 10:49.
Leave Kyiv 22:52 or Lviv 08:51 on train 89, change in Przemysl (arrive 11:12, depart 12:53) and arrive Krakow Glowny 15:23.
Leave Lviv 13:03 on train 32, change in Przemysl (arrive 15:17, depart 17:11) and arrive Krakow Glowny 19:47.
Leave Kyiv 11:17 or Lviv 18:30 on train 715, change in Przemysl (arrive 19:50, depart 21:22) and arrive Krakow Glowny 23:55.
Train 715 is a comfortable modern Ukrainian Intercity (IC) train with 1st & 2nd class. Other Lviv-Przemysl trains are Ukrainian sleeper trains, with platskartny, kupé 4-berth and (usually) 2-berth spalny vagon.
Przemysl-Krakow trains are comfortable air-conditioned Polish trains. Times may vary.
Check times for the Ukrainian train at www.uz.gov.ua/en/passengers/timetable.
Check times for Polish trains at the Polish Railways website www.intercity.pl.
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Kyiv to Przemysl costs around €26. Lviv to Przemysl costs around €9. Przemysl to Krakow costs around €12.
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You can order Kyiv or Lviv to Krakow tickets through highly-recommended Polish train booking agency www.polrail.com. They charge a small fee, and either allow ticket pick up in Krakow or can send to any country worldwide.
It's possible to book the Kyiv or Lviv to Przemysl train at Ukrainian Railways booking.uz.gov.ua/en. You can then book the Przemysl to Krakow train at Polish Railways www.intercity.pl.
Kyiv to Chişinău
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A sleeper train links Kyiv with Chişinău every second day.
The train leaves Kyiv at 17:05 on odd dates (1st, 3rd, 5th...) arriving at Chişinău at 11:30 next day.
Returning, the train leaves Chişinău at 17:34 on even dates (2nd, 4th, 6th...) arriving Kyiv at 12:05 next day.
The train has kupé (4-berth compartments) and platskartny (open-plan bunks).
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A sleeper train links Lviv with Chişinău every second day - new from December 2024!
The train leaves Lviv at 15:00, arriving Chişinău at 11:30 next day.
The train has kupé (4-berth compartments). Check days of running at booking.uz.gov.ua/en.
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To book use booking.uz.gov.ua/en. Chişinău is listed as Chisinau.
Kyiv to Moscow
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These trains were suspended due to Covid-19, and are now cancelled - and the lines blown up - due to the war in Ukraine
