Buying train tickets in Ukraine
Train tickets are bought with a passport or xerox copy of each passenger's passport either at the train station or — in larger cities — at ticket offices around town. Generally you will want to buy your tickets a week or more in advance, as they can sell out. Sometimes seats open up at the last minute, however.
Ukrainian trains have three classes of cars, all of which have reasonably comfortable fold-down bunks — one per passenger. 3rd class is called "platzkart" — a car without compartments with quite a bit of noise and festivity and shorter bunks (about 175 cm). Here the only completely safe place for your stuff is a chamber under the bottom bunk, so make sure you put any valuables in there before the person on the bottom bunk goes to sleep.
2nd class is called "kupe" — quieter four-bunk compartments with a locking door. 1st class, or "SV" (sleeping cars) have slightly more elegant two bed compartments that are now sometimes outfitted with TVs. In all classes of cars bedding is available for 6 to 10 UAH.
Ukrainian trains are inexpensive. For example, a one-way trip to the Carpathians from Kiev would cost around 40 UAH ($8 USD) for 3rd class, 50 UAH ($10) for 2nd, and 100 UAH ($20) for 1st
