Ukrzaliznytsia completes electrification of first European-gauge section between Uzhhorod and Chop
Ukrzaliznytsia has finished electrifying the first newly built European-gauge railway section in Ukraine, a 22-kilometre stretch between Uzhhorod and Chop. Work continues on the second phase toward the Hungarian border at Záhony, expected by the end of 2026, after which direct electric passenger trains from Hungary, Austria, Slovakia and the Czech Republic will be able to reach Uzhhorod without a locomotive change.
Key points
- First newly built European-gauge electrified section in Ukraine completed between Uzhhorod and Chop, 22 km.
- Second phase, from Chop to the Ukrainian-Hungarian border at Záhony, is under way and planned for completion by the end of 2026.
- After completion, multisystem electric locomotives will cross the Ukrainian-Hungarian border without a locomotive change.
- Electric passenger trains from Hungary, Austria, Slovakia and the Czech Republic will be able to run directly to Uzhhorod.
- Total project cost is 1.3 billion hryvnias; 50% (650 million hryvnias) covered by an EU grant under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF Transport).
- 285 million hryvnias allocated from the Ukrainian state budget for the project in 2026; the remainder comes from the state budget and Ukrzaliznytsia's own funds.
- Ukraine and Hungary use different railway voltages, which is why multisystem locomotives are required.
Why it matters
This is the first time a newly built European-gauge section in Ukraine has been electrified, marking a concrete infrastructural step toward integration with the EU rail network. Once the second phase is finished, direct electric passenger services from four EU member states to Uzhhorod become technically possible without the current locomotive change at the border, shortening journey times and reducing operating costs. The project also illustrates how EU funding through the Connecting Europe Facility is being deployed in concrete Ukrainian transport infrastructure.
What happened
Ukrzaliznytsia announced the completion of electrification works on the first phase of its European-gauge railway project: a 22-kilometre section between Uzhhorod and Chop. Railway workers have already begun the second phase, electrification of the section from Chop to the Ukrainian-Hungarian border at Záhony, which is planned to be finished by the end of 2026. The total cost of the project is 1.3 billion hryvnias, with half covered by an EU grant under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF Transport) programme. The remainder is funded from the Ukrainian state budget — 285 million hryvnias were allocated in 2026 — and from Ukrzaliznytsia's own funds. Once the second phase is complete, multisystem electric locomotives will be able to cross the Ukrainian-Hungarian border without a locomotive change, and electric passenger trains from Hungary, Austria, Slovakia and the Czech Republic will be able to run directly to Uzhhorod. The project is implemented with EU financial participation and supported by Ukraine's Ministry of Restoration, Infrastructure and Transport.
Where reporting differs
One source frames the 285 million hryvnia state-budget allocation as 'this year' without specifying the year, while another explicitly dates the same allocation to 2026. The two formulations point to the same allocation but differ in how precisely the year is stated.
Background
Ukraine and Hungary operate their railway networks at different voltages, which is why multisystem electric locomotives are needed for uninterrupted cross-border services. In the days before this announcement, Ukrzaliznytsia also launched a modernized electric train on the Lviv–Uzhhorod route.