Yanov Station.
On the way out of Pripyat close to the 'Bridge of Death' is Yanov railway station. Access to this area has to be granted by special permission of the ChernobylInterinform. Reasons for which are still unclear. Fortunately, we were lucky enough to be given permission to explore the yard. Yanov station was the vital passenger pickup point for those arriving by train into Pripyat in the hours after the CNPP explosion. Our guide explained to us that people who arrived here during this time were moved directly from the trains onto buses and sent right back out of the area for safety.

Yanov is an interesting area to explore on foot. Entry to the station building is now sealed off and used for storage, but the railway lines and what's left of the platform are still accessible. There are many train cars still sitting around on and off the tracks, and most in a very bad way. Some are extremely rusty and even too dangerous to enter. Also, along the sides of the tracks are lots of large (and strange) metal debris similar to that found near the unfinished cooling towers of CNPP. Besides all the obvious hazards were several snakes slithering around our feet. Yanov was an exciting addition to my second trip into the zone, and it gave some great photos.

Yanov station.

Buildings and rusted trains in Yanov station.

Looking west out of Yanov station.