Ukraine opens its first railway line with European track width standard
Ukraine opened its first railway line with European track width standard. The event symbolizes the country’s future integration with the European Union. This historic event took place on September 5, 2025.
Ukraine first railway built to the European Union’s standard track width is a 22-kilometer link between Uzhhorod and Chop (near the border to Slovakia). It tightens the country’s transport ties to the EU even as Russia’s initiated war on Ukraine goes on.
The line uses the EU’s 1,435-millimeter gauge rather than Ukraine’s traditional 1,520-millimeter broad gauge. The project was funded by a €28.6 million package—half from a European Investment Bank loan backed by the EU’s €50 billion Ukraine Facility and half from an EU Connecting Europe Facility grant. It includes upgraded signaling, communications, and centralized control systems to boost capacity and safety.
By eliminating a break of gauge at the Slovak and Hungarian borders, the route cuts travel times. It streamlines passengers’ movement to cities such as Košice, Budapest, and Vienna. Officials say it will accelerate trade, support reconstruction, and make rail more competitive with road transport. “This is a historic step toward EU integration,” said European Investment Bank Vice-President Teresa Czerwińska.
Working now on expansion inside Ukraine
EU Ambassador Katarína Mathernová called the line “a very significant step toward fully integrating Ukraine’s railways with the European network, enabling direct connections with neighboring member states”.
The new track is the first phase of a larger plan to extend European-gauge rails deeper into Ukraine—to Chernivtsi, Lviv, Kovel, and eventually Kyiv—over the next several years.
Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, head of Ukrainian Railways, noted the project was completed ahead of schedule despite the war. “Uzhhorod is now the first regional center with a direct European-gauge connection to EU capitals,” he said. “We’ll electrify this section by 2026 and push the line toward Lviv within three years.”
The project marks a tangible step toward the country’s future inside the European family—and sets the stage for a broader continental connection. Rail remains for now the most reliable way to reach Ukraine from the rest of the European Union.
Related News Stories: SkyTeam ??: SkyTeam Global Airline Alliance Aeroflot cancels flights after pro-Ukrainian cyberattack Ryanair to open new Tirana Airport base Ryanair unveils Lapland winter 2025/26 programme Poland air traffic restarts following shoots down of Russian drones easyJet launches onboard summer collection to support UNICEF's ... TravelMole Minneapolis' culinary icons Air connectivity struggles to recover to pre-Covid levels in Europe Travel agent arrested for money laundering
TravelMole Editorial Team
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season