photo: ChatGPT/Generated by AI
What began as an emergency response to war is now evolving into a permanent transformation. With over EUR 2 billion in EU investment, border infrastructure upgrades, and rail interoperability projects underway, the Solidarity Lanes are fast becoming Europe’s most ambitious eastward freight corridor.
The European Union and Ukraine have launched a major feasibility study to assess how to modernise the strategic Lublin–Dorohusk railway corridor, a key cross-border freight and passenger route. The study, financed under the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), is set to tackle bottlenecks and improve interoperability between Polish and Ukrainian rail systems, part of the broader EU–Ukraine Solidarity Lanes initiative.
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The project is coordinated by PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe S.A. (PKP PLK) and IDOM, with oversight from the Centre for EU Transport Projects (CEUTP). The study will evaluate ways to enhance capacity, reduce train travel times, and streamline customs and logistical operations on one of the busiest border sections between the EU and Ukraine.
Enhancing Throughput at a Critical Border Point
According to Poland’s Minister of Infrastructure Dariusz Klimczak, "the reconstruction of Ukraine and its integration with the European economy cannot happen without the expansion of border infrastructure." The feasibility study will focus on the Lublin–Chełm–Dorohusk–Jagodzin–Kovel railway corridor, a vital stretch for transporting both humanitarian and commercial goods.
Klimczak pointed out that "integration of the railway systems of both countries is a concrete dimension of our solidarity." The total value of the feasibility effort exceeds EUR 2.4 million and is funded entirely through the CEF Connecting Europe programme.
Study Scope: Interoperability, Efficiency, and Modern Border Control
The study covers both infrastructure and operations. Part A will evaluate the rail line from Lublin to the Polish–Ukrainian border. Part B will explore logistics and traffic flow management at the Dorohusk–Yahodyn crossing, aiming to improve customs clearance, document verification, and coordination of transhipments.
Key tasks include technical and cost analyses, market assessments, and proposals for harmonising EU and Ukrainian rail standards. The study will also lay the groundwork for procurement and tender documentation for follow-up investments. As PKP PLK CEO Piotr Wyborski stated, "Reducing travel times and improving throughput on the Lublin–Dorohusk section is a milestone in the modernization of transport between the European Union and Ukraine."
A Wider Web of EU–Ukraine Connectivity
The project is part of the broader EU–Ukraine Solidarity Lanes, which were launched in May 2022 to bypass Russian blockades and ensure the flow of critical exports and imports. Since then, over 179 million tonnes of goods have been moved through these corridors, including 85 million tonnes of grain and agricultural products, according to European Commission data.
These lanes now support a broad spectrum of trade, including ores, steel, fertilizers, fuel, vehicles, and humanitarian aid. As of April 2025, the total trade value through Solidarity Lanes is estimated at EUR 211 billion. The railway corridor between Lublin and Kovel is expected to be one of the major conduits for these flows going forward, alongside corridors through the Baltics, Danube, and Adriatic regions.
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Logistics at the Border: Efficiency and Security
One of the unique components of this feasibility study is its attention to logistics management at the Dorohusk–Jagodzin crossing. The contract includes design work to improve facilities for scanning, identity checks, customs, phytosanitary, veterinary, and tax control. The CEUTP and the Ministry of Regional Development of Poland note that the development of a border zone logistics concept will be crucial for streamlining intermodal transfers and improving security at the EU’s external border.
The project is also looking beyond immediate upgrades. Plans for revitalisation works on the Ukrainian side, including Lyuboml–Matseiv–Kovel and Mostyska I and II, are under review. This includes the purchase of a new overhead crane for the Kovel terminal to handle containerised freight more efficiently.
The full implementation window for the feasibility study and related projects runs until 2027. The total value of eligible project costs across the railway Solidarity Lanes initiatives is more than EUR 65 million, with half of that amount secured as EU co-funding. As of May 2025, several milestones have already been completed, including the awarding of feasibility work to IDOM, public tenders, and stakeholder coordination meetings hosted by CEUTP.
Long-Term Goals: TEN-T Integration and Reconstruction Support
According to the European Commission, the Solidarity Lanes are a lifeline for Ukraine’s wartime economy and future reconstruction. They also represent a critical step in integrating Ukraine’s transport system with the EU’s Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). In the words of Poland’s Secretary of State Jan Szyszko: "The feasibility study for the railway project is an important milestone that will ease access to the Ukrainian market and support the region’s logistics transformation."
Sources: PKP PLK; RailwayPRO; CEUTP; European Commission