Editorial photo #13643221 Human Interest

Ukrzaliznytsia launches flagship Sakura train from Kyiv to Uzhhorod

Chess pieces and bottles of water sit on the table between two berths in the compartment of the new flagship Sakura train operating on the Kyiv-Uzhhorod route in Kyiv, Ukraine, on April 28, 2026. Supported by Japan, the train runs through Ukrainian cities where cherry trees bloom each spring. The project, implemented with the support of the Embassy of Japan in Ukraine and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), features themed carriage decor with cherry blossom motifs and specially designed route displays. Passengers can access an online portal about Japanese culture, architecture, and art, as well as familiarize themselves with elements of Japanese cuisine, board games, and Ukraine-Japan cultural collaborations. The Sakura train consists of new carriages manufactured in Ukraine in 2026, the first of 100 units ordered in 2025 under an agreement between Ukrzaliznytsia and the Kryukiv Railway Car Building Plant. (Photo by Marianna Kotyk/Ukrinform/NurPhoto) NO USE RUSSIA. NO USE BELARUS.