From WARSAW to KIEV and to ODESSA via ZHMERINKA (From Baedeker's Russia Guide 1914, p374-75)

By Paul

Related to: General, 

1124 V. (744 M.) Express train in 27 hrs. (Fares 27 rb 75, 18 rb.35 cop; seat-ticket 2 rb.40 cop. extra): ordinary train in 33 hrs. (fares 23 rb.50; 14 rb 10 cop). The trains start from the Brest Station. Express trains from Warsaw to Kiev: via Kazatin (809 V; 536 M.) in 17 1/2 hrs. (fares 22rb.65, 15rb 5 cop ; seat-ticket 1 rb.80 cop.); via Sarni (see below; 740 V. or 491 M.) in 15 1/2 hrs (fares 21 rb 50, 14 rb 30 cop; seat-ticket 1 rb.80 cop; sleeping-car 5 rb.90, 4 rb. 15 cop).

From Warsaw to (199 V. or 132 M.) Brest-Litovsk, see R.32. The railway traverses the southernmost part of the government of Grodno. Beyond (242 V.) Maloruito the train enters the government of Volhynia and approaches the navigable Pripet (Polish Przypec), a river 506 M. in length, flowing through an extensive district of forest and marsh, the W. part of which we now traverse. Before reaching (275 V.) Kruimno we cross the upper Pripet.

316 V. (209 M.) Kovel (Rail, Restaurant), a town of 29,000 inhab., is the capital of a district, situated on the Turiya, a tributary of the Pripet, which is crossed by a bridge beyond Kovel.

From Kovel to Kiev, 123 V.(280 M.) railway in 9-12 hrs. 132 V. Sarni (Rail, Restaurant), see p.39; 277 V. Korosten (Rail, Restaurant), 423 V. Kiev (see p.377)

From Kovel to Warsaw, see R.6

Beyond (365 V.) Rozhitze, we cross the Stuir, one of the largest affluents of the Pripet. From (382 V.) Kivertzi a branch-line runs S. to (12 V) Lutzk, a town of 32,000 inhab., formerly the chief capital of Volhynia and now the chief town of a district.

442 V. (293 M.) Rovno (Rail, Restaurant: Frantzuskaya Hotel); cab from the station to the town 25 cop.), a town and fortress with 39,000 inhab. is the headquarters of the 11th Army Corps. It was founded in the 13th cent. and about the middle of the 18th was the scene of the brilliant court of Prince Lubomirski. To Luninetz and Vilna, see p.39.

453 V. (300 M) Zdolbunovo (Rail, Restaurant)

From Zdolbunovo to Raziwillow, 86 V.(57 M), railway in 2 1/2 hrs.

From (40 V) Dubno, a fortress with 25,000 inhab., a branch line runs to (37 V) Kremenetz, a prettily situated district-town with 23,500 inhab. and the scanty remains of a chateau of Queen Bona Sforza. About 25 V.( 16 M) to the S of Kremenetz is the chateau of Vishnevetz, built in 1685, with a beautiful park. - 65 V. Rudnya-Potchayevskaya. About 16 M. to the S. (coachman 2 rb.), prettily situated upon a hill (245 ft) is the Potchayevskaya Uspenskaya Lavra. In the principal church, by the first column to the right of the entrance, is shown a footprint of the Virgin, of whom there is a wonder-working painting on the ikonostas. - 86 V. Radziwillow (Rail, Restaurant), the Russian frontier-station. For the continuation of the journey to Brody and Krasne in Galicia, see Baedeker's Austria.

473 V. Ozhenin. The railway now crosses the Gornin, a tributary of the Pripet. 503 V. Slavuta, with a Kumiss Institution. 522 V. Shepetovka (Rail, Restaurant), with ferruginous springs; 574 V. Petchanovka. Farther on we cross the Teterev, a tributary of the Dnieper. 599 V. Tchudnov-Voluinski.

635 V. (421 M) Berditchev. Railway Restaurant - Continental Hotel, Byelopolskaya, R 3/4, 3 rb, bed-linen 10 cop. D. 60 cop to 1 rb, 20 cop. coachman (from the station to the town (1 M) 40 per drive 20, per hr 40 cop. - Tramway from the rail station to the town (5 cop).

Berditchev, the chief town of a district in the government of Kiev, stands on a gentle slope rising from the Guilopyat, and contains 77,000 inhab. of whom 80 per cent are Jews. It is the centre of the Volhynian trade, chiefly in grain and cattle. The Carmelite Convent, founded in 1627, was suppressed in 1864.

From Berditchev to Zhitomir, 51 V.(34 M), light railway in 2 1/2 hrs, 20 cop., D. 1/2-1 1/2 rb., omn 50 cop.; Rimskaya Hotel, Kiyevskaya, similar prices, very fair; Venetziya), the capital of the province of Volyhnia, is situated on the Teterev, and is named after one of the comrades of Askold. It has belonged to Russia since 1778, and is the seat of a Greek Catholic archbishop and a Roman Catholic bishop. Pop, 93,000, half of whom are Jews. Zhitomir contains a Lutheran Church in the Romanesque style, built in 1896. It manufactures kid gloves and tobacco, and carries on a trade in grain and timber. The town is traversed by several electric tramways, including one from the railway station to the principal square (fare 8 cop; cab from the railway station 60, with two horses 90 cop.; per hr 65 cop or 1 rb.)

660 V. (437 M) Kazatin. (rail restaurant), the junction of the railway to (149 V.) Kiev.

From Kazatin to Uman, 183 V.(122 M), railway in 6 hrs - 163 V. Christinovka (rail restaurant), see p.372. 183 V. Uman (Frantziya Hotel: coachman from the station to the town 50, from the town to Sofiyevka 25 cop). the chief town of a district in the govern- ment of Kiev, with 42,000 inhab., more than half of whom are Jews. The Sadovaya or Sofiyevskaya leads from the town to Sofiyevka, a country house built by Count Felix Potocki for his wife Sophie in 1793; and surrounded by a beautiful park. It is now the seat of an imperial school of agriculture.

678 V. Goldendri. The railway now enters the government of Podolia. - 718 V. Vinnitza (rail restaurant). About 2 M. to the SE of the station (cab 50 cop.) is the town of Vinnitza (Bellevue). which is prettily situated on the Bug, and is the headquarters of the 12th Army Corps. Pop 48,000, half of whom are Jews. Vinnitza contains a Capuchin convent with a large church. - Beyond (741 V.) Gnivan we cross the Bug.

761 V. (504 M) Zhmerinka (p.372) Hence to (1124 V. or 744 M) Odessa.

V = verst; M = miles
Rb = rubles ; cop = copecks (In 1914 1 ruble = US 50cents)

Thanks to Paul Silverstone (paulh@interport.net)