From Uzhhorod to Vienna: Ukraine paves way with European standard railway
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Uzhhorod is set to become the first regional hub in Ukraine linked directly to Europe by a European standard gauge railway, with the commencement of the Chop-Uzhhorod railway construction in Transcarpathia, announced Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal on April 11.
"This groundbreaking project will forge direct rail connections between Uzhhorod and several European cities including Vienna, Bratislava, Kosice, Budapest, Prague, Bucharest, Dresden, and Belgrade," stated Shmyhal.
Shmyhal also noted that this project will create a transport hub in Uzhhorod that will provide convenient and fast passenger transfers between wide-gauge trains and trains of EU countries.
The initiative, underpinned by EU grants awarded to Ukrzaliznytsia through the Connecting Europe Facility program, represents a significant step in enhancing Ukraine's transport infrastructure and connectivity with Europe.
Shmyhal noted that similar projects are also planned for Lviv and Chernivtsi.
European Railways in Ukraine's Future
The vision for a European standard gauge railway in Ukraine isn't new. Prime Minister Shmyhal first announced plans for this initiative in May 2022, building on momentum that has been gathering since 2017. In a notable collaboration, Ukraine and South Korea unveiled joint plans in March 2021 to advance this rail infrastructure transformation.
Ukrzaliznytsia uses a 4 ft 11 27⁄32 inches gauge. Most European Union countries use 4 ft 8 1⁄2 inches gauge. As a result, there are significant restrictions on crossing state border by railway. This makes it impossible to increase cargo turnover between Ukraine and EU amid Russian blockade of Ukraine's seaports.
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