BelZhD Has Been Embroiled In A Major Scandal Over Long Lines At The Luggage Storage Facilities In Minsk
2- 7.08.2026, 9:23
- 1,302
A railway spokesperson tried to defend himself on TV.
Belarusian Railways has acknowledged the problem with lines at the luggage storage facilities at Minsk Central Station, which had been the subject of complaints on social media. They attributed the situation to an increase in passenger traffic and the fact that luggage is still being accepted and retrieved manually, according to ONT.
Recently, complaints about the luggage storage facilities at the Minsk train station have surfaced on social media. As one passenger noted, you have to wait in a long line to drop off or pick up luggage, and the lockers don’t operate at night.
“Every time I’m amazed by this disgrace: the luggage storage lockers at the capital’s main train station. There’s a huge passenger flow. Every weekend, the situation shown in the photo—where people can’t even fit inside the room—happens,” the woman said indignantly.
In the comments, other users noted that automated luggage storage facilities are already in operation at train stations in Brest, Grodno, and Gomel. Some passengers also complained that, because the Minsk luggage storage facility was closed in the evening, they were unable to retrieve their belongings on time and were forced to change their plans.
Konstantin Boyar , first deputy head of passenger services at BelZhD , explained that the problem is particularly noticeable during periods of high demand.
According to him, under normal conditions, there are more than 700 spaces available in Minsk for storing cargo and luggage. During peak periods, this number can increase to approximately 900.
At the same time, the load on the luggage storage facilities varies depending on the day of the week, month, and season. This year, the railway has seen an increase in passenger traffic, including on international routes.
“This year, we have definitely seen a certain increase in the number of passengers using the railroad. A great many passengers are traveling on our international routes,” said Konstantin Boyar.
He also noted that luggage storage services are used not only by rail passengers. Tourists and visitors to Minsk—who, for example, have already checked out of their hotels but have not yet left the city—can also leave their belongings at the station.
According to him, the average wait time for dropping off or picking up luggage is about 10 minutes. Longer wait times in some cases are due to lines and an increased workload for staff.
“The ten-minute wait is due to a specific process that involves human intervention. We understand that this isn’t entirely right, and we need to take a completely different approach,” he said.
BelZhD believes that the operation of the baggage storage facilities needs to be improved to reduce passenger service times and ease the workload during peak demand periods.
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