European-gauge railway line between Chop and Uzhgorod to launch by Aug 2025 – Ukrainian Deputy PM

The construction project of the European-standard railway line between Chop and Uzhgorod has entered its final stage and is scheduled for completion by August 2025, announced Oleksiy Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister for Ukraine's Recovery and Minister for Communities and Territories Development.

"One of the key locations is the new Euro-gauge railway section between Chop and Uzhgorod. This project is part of Ukraine's strategic course toward integration into the European transport space. It is being implemented as part of Ukraine's participation in the EU's Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) programme... The project has already entered its final phase, and we plan to complete it by August 2025," Kuleba wrote on his Facebook page following a working trip to Zakarpattia region on Tuesday.

He reported that 8 kilometers of new broad-gauge track have already been laid, along with 7.6 kilometers of European-gauge track (representing 40% of the work). Nearly 2 kilometers of combined gauge have also been prepared (100% completed), and all required earthworks have been finalized. Ongoing work includes the electrification of the broad-gauge line, installation of cable networks, construction of engineering infrastructure, and upgrades to passenger platforms.

Additionally, renovations have begun at the Chop train station to improve passenger amenities.

"The European gauge railway line will provide direct access to the European rail network, significantly reduce logistics costs, increase the efficiency of international passenger and freight services, and create new opportunities to develop Ukraine's transit potential. Looking ahead, we plan further development of the European-gauge rail network in Ukraine. This is a key strategic direction that will not only make travel more convenient and faster but also raise the standard of service for passengers and businesses alike," Kuleba's post said.

He noted that the initiative was launched in the spring of 2024 by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

Earlier, Ukrainian Railways (Ukrzaliznytsia) began selling tickets for transit trains to Chop to facilitate international transfers while the European gauge line between Chop and Uzhgorod is under construction.

The company also announced temporary schedule changes for several passenger trains heading to Uzhgorod from March 31 to July 31 due to the large-scale rail construction work.

At a meeting with Apostolos Tzitzikostas, European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Deputy Prime Minister Kuleba confirmed that direct rail service to Uzhgorod via European gauge will be launched in the second half of 2025.