The Tunnel of Love is a green corridor over the railway track near the urban-type settlement of Klevan, a quarter-hour drive from Rivne. The trees have closed above the rails so evenly that it looks as though someone trimmed an arch. This is one of the most famous places in Rivne Oblast: people come here for walks, wedding photo shoots, and simply to watch a train pass through the greenery.
Where the arch came from
The tunnel is not a natural wonder, but the result of railway operations. The track leads from Klevan to Orzhiv, where a woodworking enterprise operates. A shunting train runs through the forest every day and knocks off the branches that reach toward the rails. Over the years, the trees and bushes have taken on the shape of an arch matching the exact dimensions of the railcars — and that is how the dense corridor several kilometers long was formed.
The track is active. The train still runs today, which is why it is the one that "trims" the tunnel. When you hear the horn, you should step off the rails onto the roadside.
Legends and cinema
The name "Tunnel of Love" was given to the location by lovers and newlyweds. The most famous belief: if a couple kisses at the exact moment a train passes through the tunnel and makes a single wish together, it will come true. Some newlyweds plant flowers here in memory of their day.
The tunnel is known far beyond Ukraine's borders. In 2014, Japanese director Akiyoshi Imazaki shot the romantic drama "Klevan: The Tunnel of Love". That same year, Viktor Bulyha's short film "Tunnel" was filmed here — the movie made it into the Short Film Corner program of the Cannes Film Festival.
What the tunnel looks like in real life — a one-minute video from Ukraїner:
When to go
It is most beautiful here from May to September, when the arch is densely green. In autumn the tunnel turns yellow, in winter it becomes white, and that is also a good time for photos. On weekdays and in the morning there are fewer people; on summer weekends there can be lines at the most popular photo spots.
The Klevan Castle nearby
Right in Klevan, it is worth dropping by the Czartoryski family castle. Walls, a tower, and a bridge across the moat remain from the fortifications. The castle stands in the center of the settlement, so a walk through the tunnel can easily be combined with a quick tour of the ruins.
How to get there
Klevan lies west of Rivne, along the road to Lutsk. Suburban trains and buses run here from Rivne, and by car it takes about half an hour. The entrance to the tunnel is on the outskirts of the settlement, near the track toward Orzhiv. There is no separate admission fee.
If you are going for a day trip, after Klevan you can drop by the Hubkiv Fortress or return to Rivne and check out what the city itself has to offer.
