Now Arriving in…a War Zone

A journey to Kyiv, as narrated by Board Member John Tedstrom.

With Ukraine’s airspace still closed to commercial traffic, travelers to the country typically fly into Warsaw and continue their journey by train. Warsaw’s clean, safe streets are populated by retail stores and shoppers; Poland’s Soviet-era infrastructure has been largely replaced, and an international array of foods, media, and technologies are easily found. At the station, our modern train embodied the country’s economic progress. Poland has doubled living standards since they joined the EU in 2004. We boarded the train for a comfortable, 3-hour ride on smooth tracks to Chelm, a small city on the border. 

The transfer to a Ukrainian train created a startling contrast. The cars were old and worn, sleeping compartments were clean but spartan. Once underway, the train was loud, often careening from side to side. The trip was slow, 12 hours from Chelm to Kyiv.

It is commendable that the Ukrainian Railway continues to operate despite losing thousands of its workers to military service. Tracks damaged in Russian attacks are rapidly repaired. Railway staff understand that this daily service is integral to Ukraine’s infrastructure.  

Last fall, the Ukrainian and Polish railroad systems signed an agreement to modernize a large section of the Ukrainian railroad network. This is one more indication that Ukraine is looking west to the EU for its future. We trust that when the war ends, peace in Ukraine will enable economic prosperity and a better life for its citizens.