The European Commission has presented a comprehensive strategy for modernizing the railway infrastructure of the European Union. The plan stipulates that by 2040, all key railway hubs within the EU will be interconnected by lines with speeds of at least 200 km/h. A significant portion of these connections will meet even higher standards—250 km/h and above. The total budget for the initiative is estimated at €540 billion by 2050. The European Commission expects that the implementation of the plan will not only overcome the current stagnation in passenger rail transport development but also contribute to achieving the EU’s climate goals.
This is reported by Business • Media
Ukrzaliznytsia’s Needs for 2026
Alongside these large-scale European plans, the Ukrainian railway sector is facing significant financial challenges. According to the head of Ukrzaliznytsia, Oleksandr Pertsovsky, a liquidity deficit of ₴48.8 billion needs to be covered for the company to operate stably in 2026. This amount does not include payments for Eurobonds, the restructuring of which is still being planned. The main sources of funding are expected to be internal operational optimization, changes in tariff policy, and state support for passenger transport.
“The total loss from passenger transport next year could reach around ₴21.9 billion.”
Freight Transport: Prospects and Risks
Ukrzaliznytsia forecasts that revenue from freight transport this year will sharply decline to only ₴3.2 billion compared to ₴20.4 billion last year. In 2026, even with slight growth in transport volumes, a loss of ₴0.6 billion is expected, which, according to preliminary estimates, will increase to ₴4.8 billion by 2027.