Getting Around Zhytomyr
Zhytomyr is a major Ukrainian transport hub, sitting on a historic route that links Kyiv with the west. For a visitor, the good news is that the city is compact and its public transport network is convenient, with several modes to choose from depending on how far you need to go and how quickly.
Public Transport at a Glance
Zhytomyr's public transport system combines trams, trolleybuses, buses and marshrutkas (shared minibuses). The municipal trolleybus and tram networks are run by the city enterprise ME "Zhytomyr TTU", while bus services are operated by PJSC "Zhytomyr ATP-11827" alongside numerous private carriers and sole proprietors. Marshrutkas in particular are run by a mix of private operators.
- Tram — a single light rail line, running between Peremohy (Victory) Square and the Flax Combine.
- Trolleybus — the backbone of the electric network, with routes radiating from the Railway Station and connecting districts such as Bohunia, Kroshnia, Smolanka, Hydropark and the city centre.
- Bus — conventional buses covering longer and cross-city routes, including links to outlying villages such as Lisove and Ozerne.
- Marshrutka — shared minibuses on many routes across the city, useful for reaching residential districts and landmarks.
Key Hubs and Connections
The Railway Station (Zaliznychnyi vokzal) is the main transport anchor: trolleybus routes converge there, and it is also served by buses and marshrutkas. Other important interchange points and destinations you will see on route signs include Bohunia, Kroshnia, Smolanka, Hydropark, Maliovanka, Korbutivka, Victory Square, Stanyshivskyi Square and the city cemetery. If you learn to recognise these names, you can navigate most of the network.
Tickets and Fares
Tickets are bought per ride. Fares are set separately for the different modes: marshrutkas and buses charge one rate, while trams and trolleybuses charge a lower rate. Pay the driver or conductor on board. There is no single unified ticket described for visitors, so keep small change or a payment card handy for each journey.
Planning Your Trip
Schedules are published on the official city website (in Ukrainian) and on rozklad.in.ua. For live information, visitors commonly use DozoR, EasyWay, Google Maps or the Moovit app, which provides schedules, arrival times, route maps, fare information and live directions with get-off notifications for Zhytomyr transit.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis are the easiest way of getting around the city, and several ride-hailing apps operate in Zhytomyr, including Uber, Bolt, Uklon, OnTaxi, Opti and Shark. Using an app is the simplest option if you do not speak Ukrainian, since you can set your destination on the map and pay in the app.
Scooters
Kick scooters are available through ECOS and Bolt, and are a fun way to shorten a trip around the city centre.
Walkability
Zhytomyr is not a large city in area terms, and its central districts are practical to explore on foot. Walking works well for the centre and nearby sights, while the tram, trolleybus, bus and marshrutka network fills in the longer hops to outlying districts such as Bohunia, Kroshnia or Hydropark.
Arriving by Train or Bus
If you arrive by rail, the Zhytomyr Railway Station on Vokzalna Street handles international direct trains to and from Budapest and Chișinău, long-distance trains to Odesa, and suburban services to Fastiv, Korostyshiv, Koziatyn (via Berdychiv) and Novohrad-Volynskyi. From the station, trolleybuses and other services connect you to the rest of the city.
Long-distance and international coaches use Zhytomyr Bus Station No. 1 on Kyivska Street, with international lines to the Czech Republic (Prague) and Moldova (Chișinău), and inland services to Kyiv, Boryspil Airport, Berdychiv, Vinnytsia, Khmelnytskyi, Korosten and many other cities. Zhytomyr Bus Station No. 2, the suburban station on Khlibna Street, mainly serves destinations within the Zhytomyr region, such as Berdychiv and Radomyshl.
Getting from the Airport into the City
The practical air gateway for visitors is Boryspil Airport, which is served by direct buses from Zhytomyr Bus Station No. 1. In other words, you can travel between the airport and Zhytomyr by coach without needing to change in Kyiv. Note that the historic Ozerne airbase, southeast of the city, was a military facility and is not a civilian arrival point.