Tramscape Tramway Photographs

Kiev : Ukraine, 1985
Kiev, capital city of the Ukraine, once had a massive tram system, but over the years it has shrunk to a shadow of it's former self. This decline was evident in the Soviet era, with what little money was available, being spent in building a full underground railway system. In the modern era, trams have fared no better. Money has been equally short and has affected developments on the more prestige projects as well as leaving the tramways to deteriorate further. The rapid expansion of car ownership in the Ukraine has also had it's effects. Roads have been rebuilt to accommodate cars to the detriment of trams and whilst there have been some new route openings the future for the tram would now appear to be in a limited number of high-speed segregated routes outside the city centre.

Kiev's trams, past, present and future prospects are presented on the internet by Stefan Mashkevich. Click to go to Stefan's website.

Kiev 1985 1.jpg

Kiev 1985 2.jpg

Download the Kiev Tramway Photograph catalogue

Trams skirt the city centre , whose central point Kreshatik is the interchange point for the first two lines of Kiev's metro system. The route around the south of the city centre from near Lvovskaya to Dvorets Sports is followed, including the now closed branch of route 8 to the University.

Other areas illustrated include the Darnitsa area on the east bank of the River Dniepr, the Maritime Station area along the west bank, Ploschad Krasnaya, a major interchange point to the north of the city centre, and views along Frunze Ulitsa and in the modern housing complex at Obolon.

In the western part of the city, views are included of express tram routes 1 and 3, a segregated, limited stop alignment opened in 1978.

Locations are named as they were in 1985. Many names have since been changed since Ukrainian independence from the USSR. Names shown may be a mixture of Russian and Ukrainian spellings.

Photographs copyright of Tramscape. Photographs are for personal use only
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