Some information about the meeting of the Export Office at JSC “Ukrzaliznytsia”

On January 16, 2025, a meeting of the Export Office at Ukrzaliznytsia JSC was held.

During the meeting, the officials commented on the current situation with the approval of the previously announced proposals to increase tariffs for rail freight transportation by 37%.

According to V.A. Tkachov, Deputy Director of the Department of Transportation Technology and Commercial Work of JSC “Ukrzaliznytsia”, the materials provided by the joint-stock company are currently being reviewed by the Ministry of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine, and consultations with business are being held. Thus, it is already clear that indexed tariffs will not be introduced from February 1, 2025, as the procedure must be followed, according to which the relevant draft order of the Ministry must be published on the Ministry’s website for public discussion within a month and approval.

Mr. Tkachev also said that in 2025, Ukrzaliznytsia intends to implement two pilot projects: freight routing and railcar storage at railway stations.

“The main goal is to increase the percentage of rail freight routing. As part of the project, Ukrzaliznytsia will provide the possibility of free accumulation of route trains on public station tracks for 24 hours. The possibility of increasing the technological time to 48 hours is being considered,” he said.

Ukrzaliznytsia will also offer freight carriers the service of storing empty own cars on the tracks of agreed stations. As explained by Mr. Tkachev, the initiative is aimed at stimulating the idling of excessive railcar fleet and reducing the cost of idling private fleet.

In addition, the meeting discussed a possible drop in cargo transportation by 10 million tons in 2025 (from 174.9 million tons of cargo in 2024 to approximately 165.5 million tons this year) due to a decrease in grain harvest, loss of coal in the occupied territories, and difficulties with strikes on energy infrastructure.

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