UZHHOROD, Ukraine — Ukraine has opened its first standard-gauge rail line, the first step in better integration of the country’s rail system with its European neighbors.
The European Union’s Delegation to Ukraine announced Friday that the 22-kilometer (13.7-mile) route of national rail operator Ukrzaliznytsia connects the Western Ukrainian cities of Uzhhorod, on the border with Slovakia, to Chop, near the border with Hungary. It will allow direct passenger service to a number of European cities, as well as freight traffic without transloading. The €28.6 million ($33.5 million) project was funded through a loan from the European Investment Bank and an EU grant under its Connecting Europe Facility.
“This is a historic step towards EU integration,” European Investment Bank Vice-President Teresa Czerwińska said in a press release. “Especially in wartime, when railways serve as a vital lifeline for Ukraine’s economy and people, strengthening these transport links is more important than ever.”
Construction of the new line began in 2024. The rest of the Ukraine rail network is Russian-standard 5-foot gauge.
“This is an important stage in developing a European railway network in Ukraine, and we will continue to build at an even faster pace,” said Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, chairman of the Ukrzaliznytsia management board. “Already in 2026, we plan to electrify this section and begin construction of the European-gauge line towards Lviv, which we intend to complete within two to three years. With this project, Ukrainian railway workers impressed our European partners — despite the war, we managed to deliver it ahead of schedule.”
Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kubela, on hand in Uzhhorod with President Volodymyr Zelensky to mark the opening of the line, said that as of Sept. 12, trains for Budapest; Vienna; and Bratislava and Košice, Slovakia, would originate and terminate at the Uzhhorod station.
About time too this will allow Ukraine to accept more shipments from the US and also from the European Union and NATO. During the Soviet Era most of these rails were narrow gauge but that changed when the Russians and the rest of the world converted to standard gauge to allow shipments of rockets to Baikonur. In fact before Putin destroyed it the main rocket manufacturer for Ukraine was located in Kiev all of the rockets were transported by rail from Kiev to Baikonur and delivered to site 210 that was known as the Zenet rocket the American equivalent was known as the Antares. All of these were transported by rail from where they were manufactured in Ukraine to the shipyard where they were loaded onto ships and sent to America or to the Sea Launch facility. Now they need the standard gauge so heavy duty flat cars from Europe and the United States can bring in Abrams tank from Germany the only other way to deliver those tanks is by plane but there’s a problem Ukraine does not have any airports anymore because Putin cratered them so the only way to get that stuff in is by rail.
Now if they could only do the rest of the country like the US did in the 1880’s in a few days. Then blow a wide ditch at the Russian border.
There is an existing, daily, all-sleeping car train from Kyiv to Warsaw, Poland, with the trucks (bogies) changed out from Russian to European gauge (and vice-versa) enroute, with the passengers aboard. For a trip report, see the Youtube channel Simply Railway. About two months ago. Also note the beauty of Kyiv Station.
Good news for Ukraine’s railroads, as going standard gauge in this instance could be a first step in linking EU Poland with Asian gateway Turkey via a standard gauge Silk Road connection without trans-loading through Ukraine, helping Ukraine’s economy.
I was surprised to see those concrete ties in the article pic made for dual gauge, (both standard gauge and 5’/1435mm Russian gauge. I would think those dual gauge concrete ties were recently manufactured for that dual gauge purpose, as opposed to converting older concrete ties to dual gauge, probably not an easy thing to do, as opposed to converting older wood ties.
Wonderful to see that Ukraine was able to do this while defending themselves from a ruthless thug dictator.