Prime Minister Modi is opting for a long train journey instead of a seven-hour flight due to the closure of all airports in Ukraine because of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. With strict air travel restrictions in place, the train is considered a safer alternative, as reported by the media. These luxury train carriages, originally designed for tourists visiting Crimea in 2014, were repurposed following Russia's annexation of the peninsula.
They are now used as secure transportation for world leaders and VIPs throughout the conflict-affected country. This train has been utilized by several international figures, including US President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, for their visits to Ukraine since the onset of the conflict with Russia..