The new 2014/2015 schedule for passenger trains in Ukraine (which will go into effect in June) envisages operation of 246 train pairs or 39 fewer than the number operated in 2013/2014, the CFTS reports.

Ihor Breus, the head of the passenger department at the State Railway Administration (Ukrzaliznytsia), said at a briefing on Wednesday that 159 train pairs were expected to operate year-round (five pairs fewer than the number that operated year-round last year), 31 seasonally (56 fewer), and 56 on demand (22 more).

At the same time, according to him, the number of trains made up in CIS countries has reduced by 23 pairs to 70, including 27 operated year-round (8 fewer), 16 operated seasonally (41 fewer), and 27 operated on-demand (26 more).

Moreover, 48 pairs of passenger trains will operate out the route to the Crimea, including 21 made up by Ukrzaliznytsia, 8 by the Belarusian Railways, and 19 by the Russian Railways.

As Ukrainian News earlier reported, citing a source in the industry, the ITAR TASS news agency reported on May 26 that trains made up by the Russian Railways would possibly not operate on routes to the Crimea from June because the Russian and Ukrainian railways have failed to agree on the technological aspects of organization of transportation to the peninsula.