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Ukraine to Build EU-Gauge Rail Link From Poland to Lviv Starting in 2026
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![Photo of Cyril Barabaltchouk]( "Photo of Cyril Barabaltchouk")
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Ukraine will begin construction of a European-gauge railway connecting the Polish border to Ukrainian city of Lviv in 2026, Ukrainian Ministry of Finance announced following a meeting between Deputy Finance Minister Oleksandr Kava and the American Chamber of Commerce on November 10.
The new 1,435 mm line is part of Ukraine’s integration into the EU’s Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) and will be co-financed under the Connecting Europe Facility, which covers up to 50 percent of project costs.
The initiative follows the completion of a 22-kilometer Euro-gauge line from Chop to Uzhhorod earlier this year, with electrification of that section expected to finish by mid-2026, according to Ukrainian Ministry of Finance.
In the medium term, European-gauge tracks are also planned in Chernivtsi and Lutsk to expand Ukraine’s rail connectivity with the EU. “The new routes will strengthen Ukraine’s logistics potential and bring us closer to full integration with the European transport system,” Kava said.
The government is also investing heavily in new rolling stock, having purchased 166 domestically built passenger carriages in recent years and signing a contract for 100 more in 2025.
Another 100 carriages are included in the draft 2026 budget, including Ukraine’s first modern double-decker train cars, aimed at reducing operational costs while increasing passenger capacity by up to 80 percent, Ukrainian Ministry of Finance stated.
Despite the strain of wartime spending, Kyiv views transport infrastructure as vital to postwar recovery. The Finance Ministry said development of the railway sector remains one of the key components of Ukraine’s economic reconstruction strategy.
Previously, it was reported that a Russian drone attempted to a strike passenger train en route from Lviv to Kramatorsk, Ukraine’s national railway company Ukrzaliznytsia reported.
The attack occurred as the train was approaching Kramatorsk station. Although the drone missed its target, the blast wave shattered windows in three carriages. No passengers or crew were injured.
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