Railway workers have completed the electrification of a 22-kilometre section of European-gauge track between Uzhhorod and Chop.
As Ukrzaliznytsya reported, this will make it possible to launch direct rail services from Uzhhorod to European cities without changing the locomotive at the border.
Specialists are now working on electrifying the second phase — from Chop to the border with Hungary. The work is planned to be completed by the end of this year. Since Ukraine and Hungary use different voltages in their networks, the border will be crossed by special multi-system electric locomotives. Thanks to this, passenger trains from Hungary, Austria, Slovakia and the Czech Republic will run directly to Uzhhorod. This will reduce travel time for passengers and cut the railway’s costs.
The project costs 1.3 billion hryvnyas. Half of this amount is covered by an EU grant, while the other part is financed from the state budget and the company’s own funds. In particular, 285 million hryvnyas were allocated from the state budget in 2026.
- In autumn 2025, Ukrzaliznytsya opened traffic on this newly built European-gauge line between Chop and Uzhhorod, turning Uzhhorod into the first regional centre with a direct rail connection to the EU.
- As is known, in European Union countries neighbouring Ukraine the track gauge is 1,435 mm, whereas Ukraine uses the broad gauge of 1,520 mm.
- On 24 May 2022, then Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced Ukraine’s intention to switch to the European track-gauge standard. Initially, European-gauge track will connect major rail hubs and large cities, and then the network will be gradually expanded across the country.
- In April 2023, Ukrzaliznytsia restored an 8.4-kilometre section of European-gauge track in Lviv Region and renovated the station building at Rava-Ruska. At the same time, a test train was launched along it between Ukraine and Poland.
- It was also reported that the EU has developed a strategy for Ukraine’s transition to European-gauge track.
- In 2024, Ukrzaliznytsya carried out part of the work to build European-gauge track on the Chop–Uzhhorod section — 3.5 km of broad-gauge track was relaid within an 8.3 km stretch.
- In February 2025, the Cabinet of Ministers allowed Ukrzaliznytsya to spend 7.7 billion hryvnias on European-gauge track and other projects.