Workers in the Kiev Passazhirskiy Railway Station preparing for the Holidays with one newly-opened and one soon-to-be-completed official Ukrainian Railways gift shop- one on the lower level of the main hall and the other on the second level of the station.  A new coffee shop is opening across from the Ukrainian Railways gift shop on the lower level of the main hall.  

The passenger information area in the lower level of the main hall is also receiving a renovation.  And, good news for those with heavy pieces of luggage- the escalators, upward and downward, from the lower main hall to the second-floor waiting area are operational. 

A clever marketing idea…. Volunteers may peddle a stationary bicycle which has a power generator connected to strings of LED white lights cascading from the top to the bottom of an enormous Christmas Tree in the center of the main hall.  A festive way to burn some calories prior to or after indulging… 

Then, the most creative…. There is an electronic schedule board in place along the left side of the main stairway, across from the newly-opened Ukrainian Railways gift shop.   

At first glance, it looks similar to the other schedule boards located throughout the Kiev Passazhirskiy Railway Station. 

On closer examination, the routes are to those cities and towns which are currently under control of the armed forces of the Russian Federation.   

For citizens of Ukraine, this schedule board is both a reminder of the past and anticipation of the future- when they are able to return to the past.