The Eurotrack will reach Lviv: Ukrzaliznytsia will commence building in 2026 and intends to prolong the Eurotrack to Chernivtsi and Lutsk.
Ukrzaliznytsia is contemplating the erection of a European-gauge railway line to Lviv. The commencement of operations is anticipated for 2026.
The Finance Ministry communicated this information, pointing out:
- Looking ahead, there are intentions to lengthen the European line to a pair of other western Ukrainian metropolises – Chernivtsi and Lutsk.
- Ukraine is already procuring grant-based co-financing from the EU – 50% of the project expenditures.
“This year, a 22-kilometer European-standard rail line, with a 1,435 mm gauge, has already been constructed connecting Chop and Uzhgorod. Electrification of the Chop-Uzhgorod portion of the European-gauge railway is also currently underway and its conclusion is projected by the summer of 2026,” the announcement detailed.
Ukrzaliznytsia’s chief executive, Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, previously articulated that Ukrzaliznytsia presently does not intend to blanket the entirety of Ukraine with European gauge railroad tracks. This stems, in part, from the reality that the existing broad-gauge railway system in Ukraine is better tailored for the transit of cargo.
“Our trains are extremely heavy – each weighing 6,000 tons. Such configurations are unheard of in Europe… We will never convert all of Ukraine to the European gauge. Furthermore, it would be an inappropriate course of action,” he summarized.
Ukraine plans to construct two-story trains
Concurrently, the ministry underscored that the manufacturing of double-decker passenger carriages will soon get underway in Ukraine. The funds earmarked for this initiative—in conjunction with the development of “conventional” passenger cars—are allotted in the proposed 2026 State Budget, totaling UAH 5.7 billion.
“Two-level passenger cars will notably streamline the expenses associated with passenger transit. The upkeep costs for both single-level and bi-level cars are roughly 10% apart, while the seating capacity in a double-decker carriage surges by almost 80%,” the ministry elucidated.
They specified that in the future, the twin-level carriages will be produced in two forms, specifically:
- for overnight travel (equipped with sleeping accommodations);
- for daytime voyages (featuring seating arrangements).
