In August, Ukrzaliznytsia recorded a record number of requests for train tickets — more than 4–5 applicants for each available seat. The company publicly released weekly statistics for the first time to explain why tickets are selling out so quickly and how they plan to solve the problem, UNN reports with reference to UZ.
You get disappointed if you can't buy the desired tickets even exactly when sales open, because at the same time a large number of other passengers are looking for tickets. Each of your disappointments or negative feedback really worries us too, because our credo is to deliver everyone to their destination
For transparency, UZ announced a new practice — weekly informing about the real situation with transportation.
As noted by the company, cars are leaving the fleet faster than they can be purchased or modernized, so the number of available seats on trains is decreasing. As of August 3, 1488 cars were operating on long-distance trains, including:
— 3 cars were destroyed by shelling;
— 6 — written off due to exhausted resources;
— 95 — require expensive repairs.
That is why the main task now is to increase the supply of seats. Provided proper financing, UZ plans to purchase new cars and intercity trains, as well as modernize existing ones.
Addition
In recent weeks, social networks have "exploded" due to a wave of criticism against Ukrzaliznytsia. Passengers massively complain about the impossibility of buying tickets even in the first minutes after sales open.
Particular outrage was caused by the situation when seats appear in the application literally for a second, and then disappear, not allowing to complete the purchase. Because of this, some passengers accused UZ of collusion with resellers.