When and where will Eurocolia build in Ukraine?

Traveling from Ukraine to EU countries without long stops at the border, transplants and expectations. For Uzhgorod residents, this will soon become a reality.

For almost a year, the construction of Eurocolia between the Border Chop and the Regional Center of Transcarpathia – the first line of the European standard to a large Ukrainian city. According to government officials, its movement can be opened in the summer.

Eleven months later, from the beginning of the construction of the Chop-Uzhgorod direction, the power-holders began to outline the timing of another Eurocolia to the regional center of the West of Ukraine-from the Romanian border to Chernivtsi.

Equity erection may not be limited to these two cities. Why Ukraine builds railway routes of the European standard and where can they reach?

Why build Eurocolies

The railway system of Ukraine is historically based on the track, wider than the European: 1 520 mm versus 1 435 mm in the EU. The difference of this standard creates problems with the capacity of the way to the European Union, because it requires either overload of goods or changes in wagons during freight or passenger transportation.

The construction of Eurocolies, by design, will increase the efficiency of transportation and promote the development of regions, as local manufacturers will spend less time on sending and receiving goods from EU countries.

« The European Standard network will be useful to Ukraine in the context of its future accession to the EU. It is important for business, communication between people and security, » says Alan Baron, a representative of the European Commission Directorate General and Transportation of the European Commission.

In view of this, Ukrzaliznytsya in December 2024 hinted that she did not plan to be limited to the Chop-Uzhgorod area, but looked at the European Collection network in the Western region of Ukraine. The ambitious plan would allow in the future Create Four international transport corridors.

Evsogal in Ukraine

Ukraine already has sections of the European standard railway, for example, a segment from Chop to border. It gives a connection with Vienna (Austria), Prague (Czech Republic), Bratislava (Slovakia), Munich (Germany), Budapest (Hungary), Belgrade (Serbia), Bucharest (Romania) and Sofia (Bulgaria).

According to the Deputy Minister of Finance Alexander Coffee, such a line is between Chop and Mukachevo, which are trains « Mukachevo-Budapest » and « Mukachevo-Koshice », and from Chop to the Ukrainian village Neetlenefol Near the Romanian border.

Besides, exists One -track plot of the European standard from Kovel to Polish Helm 85 km long. In parallel to Eurocolia is a Ukrainian, wide line. Only cargoes are transported in the territory of Ukraine in the territory of Ukraine and negotiations with the Poles continue to launch passenger trains, says coffee.

There are small areas of Eurocoli from the Polish border. First – to the city of Mostyska (12 km). The second-to the city of Rava-Ruska (8 km), which was restored several years ago. It allowed trains from the city to Warsaw, as well as joining flights from Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk, which go through Rava-Rus to the Polish capital.

The Chernivtsi region has a Eurocolia 6 km long: from the Romanian border to the Vadul-Siret station. This line is only used for cargo transportation.

New Eurocolies

The new railway of the European standard is built on the site between Chop and Uzhgorod. The works began in April 2024. By the end of October, the builders translated 3.5 km of a wide track, which plan to erect 22 km of Eurocolia. « Ukrzaliznytsia » states that the movement may be opened in August, « Kava said.

This line will connect Uzhgorod with the cities of EU countries. If a cargo station is being built in the regional center of Transcarpathia, it will allow local producers to exchange goods for Eurocolia without overload, the Deputy Minister of Finance adds.

The technical and economic substantiation of Eurocolia 29 km from the Romanian border to Chernivtsi is also being developed, which will connect the city with the Romanian supremark.

According to coffee, according to the optimistic scenario, the construction of the site can begin in 2026. With sufficient funding, it can be completed by 2027. This Eurocolia will create a railway connection with Budapest (Hungary), Sofia (Bulgaria), Bucharest (Romania) and Istanbul (Turkey) in the future.

In addition, there are three ways of the wide standard from Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil and Khmelnitsky, which will be able to get faster access to the track of the European Railway.

Perspectives

In 2024 the Cabinet approved Strategy for the development of border infrastructure with the EU by 2030. It, in particular, identifies the European Collection Projects.

The Government will allocate UAH 544 million to the implementation of the construction and electrification of the Eurocolia at the Lviv-Chernivtsi-Vadul section, which is planned to be developed by the end of 2027. The site between Chernivtsi and Vadul-Siret station near the border with Romania, according to the document, plan to be built in 2026-2029 for UAH 7.3 billion.

It seems to continue the European Collection Plot from Chernivtsi to Lviv. « The construction of the railway from Chernivtsi to Lviv will need more than one year, but to make the component of Vadul to Chernivtsi much faster, » – She told The first deputy chief of Chernivtsi Ova Alona Atamanyuk.

In addition, the infrastructure development strategy contains project Reconstruction of the railway from the Mostyska-2 station near the border with Poland to Sknyilov near Lviv. This site can allocate UAH 10.9 billion in 2026-2028.

In 2023 the European Commission and the European Investment Bank Posted The Strategy of Joint Railways of Ukraine and Moldova to the EU, which was advised to develop a plot from Mostysk to Lviv, completing European wide tracks, and extend a line from Rava-Rus and Uzhgorod to Lviv through the Sank.

The same strategy addressed the eurocolia continuation of Kovel to Kiev through Sarnia and Korosten. However, coffee recommends laying it through Lutsk, Rivne and Zhytomyr, where about one million people live in a total of. « This will not only provide them with a qualitative connection with the EU, but also give a significant impetus to business development and increase economic activity in these regions, » Kava explained.

In addition, the EC and the EIB were advised to connect the Eurocolies Lviv with Kiev through Ternopil and Korosten and continue the paths from Kiev to Kharkiv and Dnipro across Poltava. Obviously, such a large construction is far -reaching and will not be limited to 2030. In addition, the European Commission document is a recommendation rather than a plan of action.

According to representatives of the European Commission, Ukraine should form a part of the EU in 2030, in particular between the Polish border and Lviv. « This will allow you to effectively use reloading hubs in the Lviv region and provide a full logistics between Ukraine and the EU, » the Baron says.

However, government officials and Ukrzaliznytsia have not declared the start of work in the areas in Kiev and the East of the country. In the near future it is only about the line « Chop-Uzhgorod » and the projection and possible completion of Eurocolies to Chernivtsi.