Kyiv's river ferries won't replace bridges: under 2,000 daily trips predicted, pilot route possible by spring 2027

Kyiv's planned river ferry routes are unlikely to replace bridges, with models predicting fewer than 2,000 daily trips, far below the 1.4 million daily crossings by public transport. A pilot route could launch in spring 2027 if preparation begins immediately. Transport models from 2019 and 2020 forecast about 870 daily trips for the Poshtova Ploshcha–Rusanivska Naberezhna route and 950 for Poshtova Ploshcha–Berezniaky. Expert Dmytro Bespalov says demand depends on housing and jobs near piers, not boat capacity, making the service symbolic for the city overall. A 150-seat boat running every 15 minutes would carry 600 people per hour, versus 10,000–15,000 passengers per hour on Metro Bridge trains alone. Officials view ferries as supplementary transport, while two pontoon bridges could be installed in three to four months.