UKRAINIAN Railways (UZ) has completed the project to provide 1435mm gauge on the 22km 1520mm-gauge line running from Uzhhorod on the border with Slovakia to Chop near the border with Hungary, officially opening the line on September 5.
The project is expected to stimulate growth in freight traffic by eliminating the break of gauge at the border and improving efficiency, boosting trade and benefiting both the economies of Ukraine and the European Union (EU). It also is expected to contribute to the reconstruction and recovery of Ukraine following the end of the current conflict.
For passengers, dual gauge is expected to cut journey times to cities in the EU such as Košice in Slovakia, Budapest in Hungary and Vienna in Austria, enabling rail to become more competitive by avoiding the need to change trains at the border.
Completed ahead of schedule, according to UZ, the project has cost €28.6m. As well as laying 1435mm-gauge track from Chop station to Uzhhorod station, work included upgrading signalling and telecommunications systems to increase capacity and improve safety.
Solidarity Lanes
The Uzhhorod - Chop project has been implemented under the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes initiative to establish new and improve existing routes in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The project was co-financed in equal parts by a loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB), guaranteed by the Ukraine Facility, and a grant from the European Commission’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF).
An EU support instrument, the Ukraine Facility is providing €50bn in 2024-2027 through grants, loans and guarantees to help Ukraine maintain macro-financial stability, advance reforms on its path to EU accession, and invest in recovery and modernisation.
Uzhhorod - Chop is the first stage of a programme to provide 1435mm gauge to cities in Ukraine including Chernivtsi, Lviv and Kovel over the next four to five years. This will be followed by connections the capital, Kyiv. Alongside EU funding, technical assistance is being provided by Jaspers, the EIB’s consultancy service.
“This is an important stage in developing a European railway network in Ukraine, and we will continue to build at an even faster pace,” says Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, chairman of UZ management board.
“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.”
“This is a historic step towards EU integration,” says EIB vice‑president, Teresa Czerwińska.
“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.”
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