Ukrzaliznytsia has tightened document checks when boarding trains: what do passengers need to know?

Ukrzaliznytsia has tightened document checks when boarding trains due to ticket abuse. Find out how the new control system works, who is not allowed on board, and how to protect yourself from fraudsters

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In recent weeks, social media has been flooded with complaints from Ukrainians about the inability to purchase tickets for popular train routes. Passengers are reporting en masse that tickets disappear from the website within seconds of going on sale. The reason is the actions of scalpers who use automated scripts to buy up tickets. These tickets then appear on dubious websites at 2-3 times the price, and if they do not manage to resell them, they are returned to the system at the last moment.

To combat this problem and give control back to passengers, Ukrzaliznytsia has introduced a series of new checks and protection mechanisms. All this is to prevent people from boarding trains with someone else's or fake tickets.

How exactly has Ukrzaliznytsia tightened control?

According to official information, since July 25, mass checks of passengers' documents have been ongoing throughout the country during boarding. Particular attention is paid to whether the information on the ticket matches that in the passport.

Here are the main measures that have already been implemented:

● groups of paramilitary security guards are working selectively at stations to control boarding;

● train crews have received additional instructions on checking documents;

● Test verification of personal data when purchasing tickets through the Diya app has been introduced.

● Fraudsters selling tickets on online platforms are being actively blocked, and the public is being urged to report such advertisements.

UZ reported the results of boarding checks on July 29 on Telegram: out of more than 41,600 documents checked over several days, violations were found in only 0.1% of passengers. In particular, 38 people tried to bypass conductors without tickets, three had mismatched data, and several refused to show their documents.

By the way, how to buy UZ tickets for foreigners and those who do not have a Diia card, we told you in the previous article.

Who can be denied boarding a train?

From now on, even a purchased ticket does not guarantee access to the train if your documents do not match the information on the ticket.

Boarding may be denied in the following cases:

● the passenger does not have an identity document or does not show it and refuses to be checked;

● the information on the ticket and in the passport does not match (the ticket was purchased under someone else's name);

● a child under 14 is traveling without an adult;

UZ also reminded that only children under 5 years of age can travel free of charge, and children aged 6 to 14 years can only travel when accompanied by an adult with a valid ticket.

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How to protect yourself from fraudsters and avoid overpaying?

Ukrzaliznytsia urges passengers to purchase tickets only through official channels. To avoid manipulation and not support the shadow market, passengers are advised not to use “advertisement platforms” to search for tickets, and if they notice a suspicious offer, to immediately report it to Ukrzaliznytsia or the platform administrators.

Also, if you are planning a trip within Ukraine or abroad, you can always use the convenient ticket booking system from Visit Ukraine — the service allows you to quickly find and buy tickets for various types of transport without queues, overpayments, or the risk of falling victim to fraudsters.

What's next: warning from UZ

Ukrzaliznytsia emphasizes that checks will continue throughout the country. The company's administration assures that all honest passengers will be able to travel without hindrance, and any attempts at abuse will be recorded and punished.

During periods of high demand, the company will continue to:

● introduce additional trains;

● work on improving the control system;

● ensure safety and fair access to transportation.

There are also plans to improve online sales systems, which will make it even more effective to combat bots and automated scripts.

We remind you! Ukrzaliznytsia has updated its rules for transporting animals on trains – read more at the link.

Photo: Getty Images

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