photo: Österreichische Verkehrszeitung / Public domain/Ukrzaliznytsia's rail freight wagon
Modernizing Ukraine's railway for European gauge brings concerns for Slovakia and other EU member states. The project linking Uzhhorod and Chop aims to streamline freight and passenger transport, yet raises questions about competitiveness. A critical factor is the transshipment hub in Čierna nad Tisou, whose modernization is expected to support Ukraine’s post-war recovery while making the EU's eastern border more attractive for trade.
New European-Gauge Railway from Uzhhorod to Chop and Planned Extension to Lviv
Construction of the new railway line between the Ukrainian cities of Uzhhorod and Chop began in mid-April this year, according to RailFreight. This project involves laying a new standard-gauge railway compatible with the European Union. Thus, from Uzhhorod to Chop, there will be two parallel tracks: the broad-gauge track of 1520 mm and the European standard gauge of 1435 mm, as noted by Ukrzaliznytsia.
The city of Chop, strategically located on the border with Hungary and Slovakia, enables direct train connections from Slovakia and Hungary into Ukraine’s Zakarpattia region and offers Ukraine direct access to the EU. This should facilitate smoother transport for both passengers and freight. According to UIRR, this initiative, launched on April 11, 2023, is part of a broader effort to align Ukrainian railway infrastructure with European standards.
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The project is expected to be completed 14 months from its start date, with full completion planned for the second half of 2025, followed by the electrification of the Chop-Uzhhorod section, as reported by Railway Supply.
So far, 3.5 kilometers out of the total 8.3 kilometers needed for the route have been completed. This progress represents roughly a third of the planned scope, with the remaining segments to be finished in the next construction phases. Total project costs are 1.3 billion Ukrainian hryvnias (approx. 29 million euros), with 50% financed by the European CEF fund (Connecting Europe Facility), as stated in Ukrzaliznytsia’s press release.
Another step toward integrating Ukraine with the European Union is the reconstruction of the Lviv to Poland line to standard gauge, which also began this year. As UIRR reported in July, after completing the gauge conversion on the Chop-Uzhhorod route, the plan is to extend it to Lviv, enabling connection to the TEN-T corridor and the Rhine-Danube freight corridor. Another planned project is the construction of an electrified 1435 mm standard-gauge railway between Uzhhorod and Maťovské Vojkovce in Slovakia, as UIRR mentioned in July.
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Strategic Challenges and Competitiveness: The Future of the Čierna nad Tisou Transshipment Hub in the Context of EU Investments in Ukraine
A crucial element for cross-border operations is the transshipment hub in Čierna nad Tisou and the intermodal terminal in Dobrá, where Ukraine’s 1520 mm-gauge line connects to the standard 1435 mm infrastructure. Another key border crossing is between Uzhhorod in Ukraine and Maťovce on the Slovak side. In September, our editorial team reported that Slovakia’s Ministry of Transport is seeking European CEF funds for extensive modernization and capacity expansion for the Čierna nad Tisou transshipment hub. In partnership with the Slovak Railways, they aim to secure grants to support goods and passenger transport between Ukraine and the EU, with the transshipment hub playing a central role in this strategy.
Our editorial team previously reported about these projects, as they pose strategic risks for EU countries and could disrupt the competitiveness of Slovakia’s Čierna nad Tisou hub. ZSSK CARGO CEO Jaroslav Daniška previously stated that EU investments in Ukraine’s rail freight infrastructure are essential, but they should create synergies without threatening neighboring countries’ rail industries. Another downside to converting to standard gauge is that member states lack control over non-EU transshipment hubs, which operate under different regulations, putting Slovakia and other EU states at a competitive disadvantage, as noted by RAILTARGET.
Concerns also arise over Ukraine’s lower labor and operational costs compared to EU carriers, potentially leading to unequal competition and causing EU freight carriers to lose business due to eastern price pressures.
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The Slovak Association for the Railway (Na Železnicu) also expressed concern about EU funds going to Ukraine. According to association spokesperson Darina Željazková, safety is a key issue: "If the infrastructure is outside the Union, we don’t have control over what will be transshipped there," she highlighted, underscoring the risks associated with funding projects in Ukraine.
Source: Ukrzaliznytsia; UIRR; Railway Supply; RailFreight