Updated 6 October: the Northern and Southern bridges are working again, the alert rules for the Podilskyi Bridge have been clarified, and information on extra trains between the banks has been added.

Since 1 October russia has been deliberately attacking Kyiv’s bridges over the Dnipro. For Prolisky this is not distant news: most of us cross the river every day — by marshrutka to Kharkivska and on by metro, or by car along Kharkivske Highway. Here is what is known as of the morning of 6 October.

What happened

1 October — drone strikes on the Pivdennyi (Southern) Bridge. At about 11:30 explosions went off near a support just as a metro train was crossing the open section of the bridge. No passengers were hurt and the train reached Vydubychi. According to the city administration, engineers found no critical damage to the structure.
2 October — the Southern Bridge was attacked overnight and again in the evening. The bridge was closed to cars and the metro.
3 October, at dawn — a jet-powered drone hit the Pivnichnyi (Northern) Bridge, damaging the road surface and the trolleybus overhead lines; two people were injured. After emergency repairs, traffic partly resumed.
4 October — a second strike on the Northern Bridge, again hitting the road surface. Traffic on the bridge was restricted and buses and trolleybuses ran on temporary routes. The same day a heating main was damaged in the Desnianskyi district, leaving some residents temporarily without hot water. The Podilsko-Voskresenskyi Bridge was also closed for a time on 4 October.
5 October — traffic on the bridges stabilised. The Northern Bridge is working and the jams on it have cleared. Buses 22, 91, 110, 111 and 112 are back on the Podilsko-Voskresenskyi Bridge, though not running to schedule.

The bridges now

Southern Bridge is open again. According to Kyiv City Council member Volodymyr Bondarenko, on the evening of 4 October traffic was running in one lane in each direction.
Northern Bridge is working after emergency repairs.
Podilsko-Voskresenskyi, Darnytskyi, Paton and Metro bridges are working.

The bridges during an air-raid alert

The rules have changed several times. According to the latest announcement by the city administration, traffic is restricted during an alert on only two bridges, and in one direction only:

Southern Bridge. Right bank to left bank, traffic is stopped for up to 15 minutes from the start of an alert, then resumes. Left bank to right bank — no restrictions. Access towards the left bank is from Stolychne Highway, Naddniprianske Highway and the Vydubychi bus station.
Podilsko-Voskresenskyi Bridge. Left bank to right bank, traffic is stopped for up to 15 minutes from the start of an alert. Right bank to left bank — no restrictions.
Northern, Darnytskyi, Paton and Metro bridges — no restrictions during alerts.

The green metro line

On 4 October the metro resumed service across the Southern Bridge at the yellow threat level — trains are again carrying passengers between the banks. At the red level the above-ground section is closed and trains run as two separate lines: Syrets – Vydubychi and Osokorky – Chervonyi Khutir.

Extra trains between the banks

From 5 to 9 October Ukrzaliznytsia is running 18 extra Kyiv City Express trains between Vydubychi and Darnytsia stations (stopping at Berezniaky). They run at peak times — 6:00 to 9:00 and 16:00 to 21:00, up to six trains an hour. At Vydubychi they leave from track 3, at Darnytsia from track 1 or 2. A ticket in the Ukrzaliznytsia or Kyiv Digital app costs 30 UAH. The trains may stop during a heightened threat.

What it means for us

By marshrutka to Kharkivska, then the metro. At the yellow level — as usual. At the red level the train only goes as far as Osokorky, and you will have to change to surface transport to reach the right bank. Allow extra time.
By marshrutka to Darnytsia, then the train. This week, at peak times, this is one of the most predictable ways to reach the right bank: the train from Darnytsia to Vydubychi avoids the traffic, and at Vydubychi you can change to the green metro line.
By car into the city. In the morning, from the left bank to the right, you can cross the Southern Bridge even during an alert.
By car on the way home. At the start of an alert you may wait up to 15 minutes before the Southern Bridge. The fallbacks are the Darnytskyi and Paton bridges, which are not closed during alerts.
Check before you set off. Rules and routes change daily — follow the city administration and Kyivpastrans. The alert status for Prolisky is on our site, and the marshrutka timetables are on the Transport page.

Take care, and leave yourself time for the journey.

Sources: UNIAN, city administration rules, 3 October · Radio Svoboda, 3 October · Kyiv City Military Administration via LB.ua, 3 October · UNIAN, 1 October · Interfax-Ukraine, 3 October · LB.ua, 4 October · Espreso, 4 October · Ukrinform, 4 October · TSN, 5 October · TSN, trains 5-9 October

Kyiv's bridges under attack: what has changed for anyone travelling from Prolisky