The Kyiv funicular is a unique transportation system that has connected the Upper City with Podil since May 1905. Originally named the Mykhailivskyi Electric Ropeway, it is located in the northern part of Volodymyrska Hill Park. This rail vehicle moves at a speed of 2 m/s, with two cabins that can each hold about 70 passengers.
Climbing Kyiv’s steep hills was once a difficult task, but the funicular, the second in Ukraine after Odesa’s, significantly eased the journey. The route stretches 222 meters, though when it first opened, it was shorter, ending at Borychev Tok until 1928. Till the 1930s, the funicular was part of Kyiv’s tram network, known as Route 9, connecting the tram lines of Podil and the Upper City. Remarkably, the funicular continued operating even during World War II.
The funicular gained its current look in 1984, following a major reconstruction. New vestibules were built, adorned with stained-glass windows created by Ukrainian artists. Now considered an architectural monument, it is also regarded as the safest form of transportation in the capital. In its more than 100-year history, there has been only one accident, which occurred without any casualties.