Take a Ride on the Carpathian Tram

Winding its way along the Carpathian foothills, the Carpathian Tram offers a unique way to explore this picturesque region of Ukraine. The locomotive carriage has twelve seats for passengers who are interested in watching the activities of the driver as he guides the train along the narrow-gauge track, while additional coaches, either closed or open, cater for different preferences of tourists enjoying the excursion. The Carpathian Tram was opened in 1860 as a means for transporting timber between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Ukraine’s Boykivschina region. Eventually the train was no longer needed for this purpose and for a time the railway line was neglected, until most of the original railway was renovated and reopened as a tourist attraction.

Currently the Regional Tourist Information Center (RTIC) runs the Carpathian Tram as well as supporting the development and marketing of tourism activities in the Carpathian region, with the emphasis on the Ivano-Frankivsk region of Ukraine. As a non-profit organization, the RTIC has initiated and participated in a number of projects relating to tourism, including the creation of the Regional Tourist Information Center located in Ivano-Frankivsk in 2003. Other projects include the Regional Tourist Initiative between Poland, America and Ukraine in 2004 to 2005; the development of sustainable rural tourism through assistance to local leaders in 2005 to 2007; the creation of a comprehensive system for development of the tourism industry in the Ivano-Frankivsk region in 2006; the preservation of the forest, national parks and reserves in 2007; and the development of accessible tourism for people of special needs.

The Carpathian Tram departs from Vygoda Village in the Dolyna District, and follows a route alongside the sparkling River Mizunky and through the Shyrkovets nature reserve. Passengers will have the opportunity to pick berries, drink the therapeutic mineral waters of the region and swim in the crystal clear waterfalls. Historical landmarks along the route include the ancient Goshiv monastery on Jasna Hill and a quaint church in the village of Patsykiv. The salt deposits at Solotvyno are another feature of the tour, with the Boikivschyna museum offering insight into the region. The full journey on the Carpathian Tram takes up to eight hours and travels through Magura, Sobol, Myndunok, Solotvyno, Dubovy Kut, Novy Mizun, Stary Mizun, Shykovets, and Vygoda, but passengers can choose the section of the route they would like to explore.