The French region Île-de-France will transfer 34 large passenger buses to Ukraine for the project «UZ Dovese», continuing assistance to Ukrainian communities. The first buses are expected in November, with the rest arriving throughout December 2026. This was reported by the Ministry of Restoration, Infrastructure, and Transport of Ukraine.
Buses for Ukrzaliznytsia: when deliveries are expected in 2026
The transportation transfer was discussed by Minister Mykola Kalashnikov and Vice President of the Île-de-France region Stéphane Bode. According to the announced schedule, all 34 buses are to arrive in Ukraine by the end of the year.
Ukrzaliznytsia will use the buses within the framework of the project «UZ Dovese». Its task is to organize alternative connections, especially on routes where railway transportation is complicated due to Russian strikes on infrastructure.
For passengers, this means the possibility of combining railway and bus transport on the desired route. At the same time, the message did not specify any specific routes, schedules, fares, or ticket purchasing procedures. The transfer of the buses itself does not yet determine the start date of a separate route.
The additional transport is expected to expand the capabilities of such transportation. Ukrainian cities are also involving buses for replacing trams and trolleybuses during power outages, but the French batch is specifically designated for Ukrzaliznytsia's project.
Infrastructure support: what was discussed with French partners
«The transfer of buses for Ukrzaliznytsia is one of the concrete results of such partnership», — noted Mykola Kalashnikov.
According to him, cooperation with Île-de-France began back when he worked in Kyiv region. The French region assisted Kyiv and Chernihiv regions, and now the partnership is expanding to other regions of Ukraine.
In addition to transport, the parties discussed the energy resilience of Kyiv and Chernihiv regions. This concerns the possibility of supplying generators for critical infrastructure and charging stations for social institutions.
This direction complements international assistance for heating and backup power for Ukrainian institutions. However, the quantity of equipment and the terms of its delivery following the meeting were not specified: it was only reported about the discussion of possible supplies.