On the Unification of Ukraine’s Railway Gauge to the European Standard

On June 23, 2025, Deputy Minister of Finance of Ukraine, Oleksandr Kava, in an interview with the news agency Ukrinform, outlined key priorities in Ukraine’s post-war recovery, including the development of modern transport logistics, attraction of international financing, and the use of public-private partnership potential.

Regarding the unification of Ukraine’s railway gauge with the European standard, he stated:

“We are working to extend the European gauge as close as possible to major Ukrainian cities. As early as next month, a European-gauge rail line between Chop and Uzhhorod is expected to launch. This will allow passenger trains from Uzhhorod to travel directly to Budapest, Košice, Vienna, and Bratislava. Preparatory work is also underway for the construction of European-gauge rail in Chernivtsi and Lviv. I hope Lutsk will be the next city. This is a realistic option that, over the next four to five years, could ensure high-quality rail connectivity.

As for freight, transporting goods via the wide (1520 mm) gauge is generally more efficient than using the European (1435 mm) gauge. The difference is not only in track width but also in axle loads, wagon dimensions, and the maximum weight of freight trains.

For example, in the EU, the weight of a freight train typically does not exceed 2,000 tonnes, whereas in Ukraine, trains weighing 5,000–6,000 tonnes are common — a key factor in economic efficiency.

These differences in standards are also noticeable for passengers. Many travelers going from Ukraine to the EU — for example, from Kyiv to Warsaw — are not fond of the narrower European train cars, which are only 2.80 meters wide, compared to Ukrainian cars that are 3.20 or even 3.50 meters wide.

Simply ‘regauging’ is an extremely expensive endeavor. Even Finland, a long-standing EU member, has not converted its railway gauge — which is the same as Ukraine’s.”

Therefore, freight will continue to be transshipped at the border. There is a global trend toward containerization of freight, and transferring containers between platforms of different standards is not a problem. The number of container terminals at Ukraine’s borders with EU countries continues to grow, so this is not a bottleneck.

The full interview is available here: Interview with Deputy Minister of Finance Oleksandr Kava for Ukrinform (June 23, 2025)

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