Russian passenger trains bound for beaches and ports on the Black Sea will be rerouted to avoid transit through Ukraine because of lengthy border checks, officials said Thursday.


Beginning Sunday, all but 10 trains heading to the Black Sea from Moscow and other points north will use a more eastern route through the Russian city of Voronezh, the Railway Ministry told Itar-Tass. Though the new route will add distance to the journey, it will reduce travel time because it will cut out customs and border checks set up after the 1991 Soviet collapse.