Ukraine completes electrification of first newly built European gauge line
“Ukrzaliznytsia” has completed the electrification of the first newly built 1435 mm European gauge line in modern Ukraine — the 22-kilometer section between Chop and Uzhhorod. The next stage will be the extension of electrification to the border with Hungary.
On the section between Chop and Uzhhorod, railway workers installed 591 overhead catenary supports and mounted almost 48 km of contact wire. The line is electrified at 3 kV direct current.
The total project cost is UAH 1.3 billion. Half of the financing Ukraine received as a non-repayable grant from the European Union under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF Transport) program. The other 50% is provided by the state budget and Ukrzaliznytsia's own funds. In 2026, UAH 285 million was allocated directly from the state budget for the project.
The works do not end here. Railway workers are already implementing the second phase — the electrification of the section from Chop to the Ukrainian-Hungarian border near Záhony. It is planned to be completed by the end of 2026.
After that, multi-system electric locomotives will be able to be used on the route, capable of operating both in the Ukrainian 3 kV DC network and in the Hungarian 25 kV AC network. This will allow crossing the border without changing locomotives, reducing travel time and lowering railway operating costs.
In the future, such a scheme will allow passenger trains from Hungary, Austria, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic to enter Uzhhorod under electric traction without additional locomotive changes.
The Chop – Uzhhorod European gauge line itself was opened in autumn 2025. Its construction began in spring 2024 and lasted less than a year and a half. After the line was launched, Uzhhorod became the first regional center of Ukraine to receive direct railway connection with EU countries via European gauge.
Direct passenger services from Uzhhorod to Bratislava, Budapest, and Vienna started running as early as September 2025. Therefore, the current completion of electrification does not mean the launch of these routes from scratch — it is intended to simplify their operation and remove the need for some technical operations involving traction after the completion of works to the Hungarian border.
In parallel, Ukraine is preparing further expansion of the 1435 mm gauge network. Among the next major projects is the Sknyliv – Mostyska II section, which is intended to integrate Lviv directly into the European railway network.
Based on materials from: Ministry of Restoration, Infrastructure and Transport of Ukraine, Ukrzaliznytsia
