Basic vocabulary

Ukrainian Railways

Ukraine has one of the most extensive rail networks in Europe, with a total route length of approximately 22,000 km, employing 352,000 people. Ukraine inherited a strong transport infrastructure from the former USSR, and the country's geographical position gives the railway a major advantage as a key transit route between western and central Europe, Russia and other CIS countries. In terms of rail freight volumes, Ukraine currently ranks fourth in the Eurasian market behind China, Russia, and India.

Ukrzaliznytsya (the State Administration of Rail Transport) was established in December 1991, to centralize the management of the country's rail network after Ukraine had declared independence from the Soviet Union in September 1991. The enabling legislation transferred control of six regional companies from SZD (Soviet Railways) to UZ (Ukrzaliznytsya). At present railway transportation of Ukraine shares 37.5% of the country's passenger traffic. There are 61 pairs of Ukrzaliznytsya International passenger trains, 56 of them running bet­ween Ukraine and the CIS countries and 5- between Ukraine and the EU countries. Two thirds of Ukrainian railway lines are heavy-traffic, equipped with modern control means, dispatcher's warning and automatic block systems.

International and local financing have helped to support a series of investment projects, and in 2007 year the railway administration Ukrzaliznytsya approved a US$2bn investment program that continued the technical modernization of the railway over the next few years. The only biggest priority remains the renewal of rolling stock, with US$920m allocated for the purchase of new freight wagons, passenger coaches, locomotives and EMUs. The other main emphasis is on infrastructure upgrading for operation at higher speeds, plus further electrification to reduce the transport sectors reliance on fossil fuel.

In 2000, UZ instituted a number of measures to improve its operational performance. These had led to increased traffic volumes, more transit business and an improved financial performance. In the last years, UZ has seen a steady growth in freight traffic, both in terms of the volume of traffic and the average journey length. In November 2010, UZ agreed to buy 10 high-speed HRCS2 multiple units of interurban trainsets from Hyundai Rotem, with the prospect of a much larger order or joint venture for local production. The first Hyundai trains, rated as Inter City+, started operating in 2012, connecting Kiev with Kharkiv, Donetsk, Simferopol and Lviv, and at the end of the year with Dnipropetrovsk and Odessa. Large-scale renewal of the locomotive park with domestic locomotives is planned by UZ for the following years. The new technology for the railways will be supplied by Luhanskteplovoz and Zaporizhzhia Electric Locomotive Repair Plant, which jointly with the Czech company Skoda will make the first locomotive in 2015.

Ukraine's geographical position provides a great opportunity to act as a transit hub, and in recent years the volume of transit freight has been growing steadily, from 30.7 million tonnes in 2000 to 68.6 million tonnes in 2007. The development of international corridors is a critical element in aligning the country with the wider European transport policy. Three of the designated pan-European railway corridors run across Ukraine, with a total length of more than 3000 km.

UZ believes that its focus on modernization will help to make the railway more competitive for transit freight. This will allow the rail to attract a greater proportion of the traffic now moving by sea between Asia and Europe, thanks to a more flexible tariff policy, better information and management technologies and the development of intermodal operations. As an example, UZ has recently embarked on a staged programme to enhance network capacity for traffic moving to and from the Crimea region. Meanwhile, the number of passengers carried by UZ has been declining in the past five years, although the distance travelled in passenger-km has been increasing. Because of the regulated fare structure, the passenger business is currently loss-making and cross-subsidized from the profits generated by the freight sector. Passenger operations are split between commuter and long-distance services, both domestic and international.

Practical tasks:

Ex.1. Insert the missing verbs in the correct form.

a) Ukrainian railway ………… one of the most extensive rail networks in Europe.

b) Ukrzaliznytsya ………… 352,000 people.

c) The number of passengers carried by UZ ………… in the past five years.

d) The development of international corridors will allow to …………the country with the wider European transport policy.

e) US$920m ………… for the purchase of new freight wagons.

f) The passenger business is cross-subsidized from the profits ………… by the freight sector.

Ex.2. Complete the sentences with one of the following words.

1. The total route length of Ukrainian railways is………… 22,000.

2. Ukraine's geographical position provides a great opportunity to act as a transit ………….

3. Further electrification will ………… to reduce the transport sectors reliance on fossil fuel.

4. ………… will allow the rail to attract a greater proportion of the traffic now moving by sea between Asia and Europe.

5. UZ has started the programme of enhancing ………… capacity for traffic moving to and from the Crimea region.

6. The total ………… of pan-European railway corridors running across Ukraine is more than 3000 km.

7. The number of …………carried by UZ has been declining in the past five years.

8. The passenger operations ………… commuter and long-distance services.

Ex.3. Put in the correct preposition: of, on, across, in, over, for, from, at, between, by.

1.Ukraine has one ………… the most extensive rail networks in Europe.

2. 352,000 people ………… Ukrzaliznytsya.

3. Ukrzaliznytsya was established …………December 1991.

4. The number of passengers carried ………… UZ has been declining in the past five years.

5. The passenger business is currently cross-subsidized ………… the profits generated by the freight sector.

6. UZ programmes are focused ………… modernization.

7. The other main emphasis is on infrastructure upgrading for operation ………… higher speeds.

8. The technical modernization of the railway will be continued ………… the next few years.

9. Passenger operations are split ………… commuter and long-distance services.

10. Three of the designated pan-European railway corridors run ………… Ukraine.

Ex.4. Choose a, b, or c, in each question below. Only one choice is correct.

1. Ukraine has a good position to be a... route.

a) hub.

b) transit.

c) major.

2. The average journey length has …

a) increased

b) modernized

c) allocated

3. Flexible tariff policy, better information and management technologies will allow to attract more transit...

a) routes

b) corridors

c) traffic

4. In the last five years, UZ has seen a... growth in freight traffic.

a) low

b) stable

c) straggly

5. The number of passengers carried by UZ has been... in the past five years.

a) demanding

b) depending

c) decreasing

6. In... of rail freight volumes, Ukraine currently ranks fourth in the Eurasian market.

a) terms

b) transit

c) tariffs

7. UZ... a number of measures to improve its operational performance.

a) introduced

b) insisted

c) installed

8. One of the biggest... remains the renewal of rolling stock.

a) terms

b) tariffs

c) tasks

9. Passenger operations are... into commuter and long-distance services.

a) depended

b) divided

c) demanded

10. Ukrzaliznytsya was... in December 1991.

a) set off

b) set up

c) set down

Ex.5. Choose the right variant.

1. According to the text, Ukraine is a key transit route............ its geographical position.

2. The prior............of railway development program is the renewal of rolling stock.

3. Unprofitability of passenger business is the............of the regulated fare structure.

4. In 2000, UZ............ measures to improve its operational performance.

5. 420,000 people............ by Ukrzaliznytsya.

a) employ b) employed c) are employed d) are emploing

6. State Administration of Railroad Transportation is subordinated............. the Ministry of Infrastructure.

a) at b) by c) with d) to

7. Ukrzaliznytsia............vast majority of the railroad transportation in the country.

a) is controlled b) controls c) is controlling d) was controlling

8. The Ukrainian railway network is permanently undergoing large scale reconstruction, mainly in order............ operating costs.

a) to reduce b) to increase c) to set up d) to pay

Ex.6. Find a word or phrase in the text which, in context, is similar in meaning to:

Ex.7. Match the opposites.

Ex.8. Translate the following sentences into English.

1. Україна має розвинуту залізничну систему.

2. Пасажирські перевезення наразі не приносять прибутку.

3. Декілька мільйонів доларів було виділено для закупівлі нових вантажних вагонів.

4. Кількість пасажирів, подорожуючих потягом, зменшилась за останні роки.

5. Загальна довжина залізничних шляхів України складає приблизно 22,000 км.

6. Ціни на залізничні квитки регулюються урядом.

7. До сфери управління Укрзалізниці входять шість залізниць.

8. На Південно-Західній залізниці налічується 315 станцій.

9. Вартість основних фондів залізничної галузі складає біля $4,4 млрд.

10. Швидкий потяг здійснює на шляху меншу кількість зупинок, ніж звичайний.

Ex.9. Complete the sentences using comparative/superlative forms.

1. Ukrainian railway network is one of the … extensive in Europe.

2. The passenger business is … profitable than the freight one.

3. Upgrading of railway infrastructure is necessary for operation at high… speeds.

4. The second class tickets are cheap… than the first class tickets.

5. Inter City is fast… than Regional Express.

6. Ukrzaliznytsia is the world's 6th larg… rail passenger transporter.

7. The trains are slow… than the planes.

8. The territorial railways are furth… divided into several territorial administrations.

9. The sleeping car can accommodate all its passengers in beds to make nighttime travel … restful.

10. Some of the … luxurious types of cars have private compartments.

Ex.10. Are the following statements true (T) or false (F)?

1. Ukraine has its own railway network.

2. Three of the designated pan-European railway corridors run across Ukraine.

3. The strong transport infrastructure is the heritage from the former USSR.

4. The rolling stock of Ukrzaliznytsya is the most up-to-date in Europe.

5. Passenger business is currently loss-making because of the old coaches.

6. Freight sector is not profitable.

7. In recent years the volume of transit freight has been growing steadily.

8. Ukrainian passengers can take both domestic and international train trip.

9. The number of passengers carried by UZ has been growing in the past five years.

10. Geographical position prevents the Ukrainian railway from becoming a key transit route in Europe.

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