Have You Ever Noticed the Ghost Stations in Kyiv’s Metro System?

If you were to take a relaxed ride along Kyiv’s 60-year-old metro system, you might notice that there are countless doors, gates, or portals leading to unknown destinations.

Where do they go? To understand that you have to realize that there’s a lot that happens behind the scenes, away from the public eye. As an ever-growing system, the subway has to cater for millions of people every day. As it expands, new stations are needed. Often they are at the end of the line, but sometimes they are between two spaced out stations.

Of course, stopping the whole line for a year or two to create a new station would be impossible, so a new solution was found. That solution is an idea or a rough “sketch” of a station. No platform is built, but lines and communications are put in place. Once it becomes needed, the workers can complete the job immediately with no additional planning or design.

This was the story with “Lvivska Brama”. It began 1991. The plan was to reconstruct Lvivska square in order to fit the entrance. The underground part was completely constructed, and even partially outfitted with marble. It was believed that the station would ease the load on the narrow streets above it. The only problem was that the over ground works never began and Lvivska Square never became a metro entrance. So, in 1996 construction was halted indefinitely.

Some years ago, a fashion show was organised there to bring attention to it. Nowadays, if you are going between Lukyanivska and Zoloti Vorota, pay attention to lights and a sudden change in the tunnel. You might just spot this “ghost” station.