Joint stock company JSC Ukrainian Railways inaugurated the 22 km, 1,435 mm gauge line between Uzhhorod and Chop in western Ukraine, connecting directly to EU countries. The project was financed by a grant from the European Commission’s Connecting Europe Facility and a loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB), guaranteed under the Ukraine Facility.
The new line is expected to enhance both passenger and freight services by reducing journey times and avoiding train changes, improving direct connections to cities such as Košice in Slovakia, Budapest in Hungary, and Vienna in Austria. This initiative is also part of the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes, designed to strengthen trade and logistics under the strain of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
EIB Vice-President Teresa Czerwińska described the development as “a historic step towards EU integration,” highlighting its vital role in supporting Ukraine’s economy and people.
The €28.6 million project involved not only constructing the new track but also upgrading signalling, communications, and safety systems. Ambassador of the European Union to Ukraine Katarína Mathernová praised Ukrzaliznytsia’s role, calling the railway a “true lifeline” for citizens, businesses, and international diplomacy.
European Commission Director-General for Mobility and Transport Magda Kopczyńska said the Uzhhorod-Chop connection had removed a major break of gauge at the EU border, enabling seamless links with neighbouring member states. Gert-Jan Koopman, Director-General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood, emphasised that adopting the European standard was also symbolic of Ukraine’s closer ties to the EU, opening opportunities for trade, investment, and jobs.
JSC Ukrainian Railways Chairman Oleksandr Pertsovskyi noted that the project was completed ahead of schedule, demonstrating Ukraine’s ability to deliver even during wartime. He added that plans are already in motion to electrify the new section by 2026 and extend the 1,435 mm gauge line towards Lviv within the following two to three years.
This first European-gauge railway in Ukraine represents the foundation for larger projects to extend EU-standard tracks to Chernivtsi, Lviv, Kovel, and eventually Kyiv. With ongoing EU technical assistance and investment support, Ukraine is taking concrete steps towards integrating its railway network with the wider European system, a critical part of its future recovery and EU membership path.
This achievement demonstrates not only the resilience of Ukraine’s railway sector but also the tangible benefits of European partnership, turning financial support into real infrastructure that brings Ukraine closer to its European future.
