The European standard railway line on the Chop-Uzhhorod section in Transcarpathia is set to open in July. The implementation of this project will enable passenger trains to operate from Uzhhorod to major cities in Europe, such as Budapest, Košice, Vienna, and Bratislava.
This is reported by Business • Media
Plans to Expand the European Railway to Other Ukrainian Cities
Alongside the completion of construction in Transcarpathia, preparations are underway to lay the European railway in Chernivtsi and Lviv. The next city where similar railway infrastructure may emerge is Lutsk. According to government estimates, the introduction of such routes over the next four to five years will ensure quality transportation connections with European Union countries.
“This means that passenger trains will be traveling directly from Uzhhorod to Budapest, Košice, Vienna, and Bratislava,” he added.
Economic Viability and Integration Issues
Completely replacing railway tracks across Ukraine is economically unfeasible. This is supported by the experience of Finland, which, even after joining the EU, maintained a national railway gauge identical to Ukraine’s. It is noted that the wider gauge in Ukraine has significant advantages for freight transportation: one train can carry between 5,000 and 6,000 tons of cargo, while in EU countries, this figure is only about 2,000 tons. Additionally, the wagons on Ukrainian tracks have larger dimensions. To address the issue of integrating Ukraine’s transport system with Europe, it is proposed to develop containerization of shipments and create a network of container terminals at the western borders.