The project includes repairs to worn-out tracks, the relocation of railroad car inspections, the reconstruction of an intermodal terminal and the installation of equipment like cranes. Beyond freight operations, the modernization works will also bring direct benefits to passenger transport, as the upgraded railway tracks will serve both freight and passenger trains.
“The EIB has been a long-standing partner of Ukrzaliznytsia – from well before the very first days of the war. With this new support, we are continuing to strengthen Ukraine’s railway infrastructure at a critical time. Upgrading border crossing points and key rail links will help remove bottlenecks, accelerate the flow of goods and support Ukraine’s deeper integration with the European Union,” EIB Vice-President Teresa Czerwińska, who oversees the Bank’s operations in Ukraine, said.
The agreement was signed by the EIB and the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine. Backed by an EU guarantee under the Ukraine Facility, the investment will improve freight operations and strengthen Ukraine’s trade and transport links with the European Union.
The upgrade is being co-funded through a grant from the European Union under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). The initiative is also benefiting from advisory support provided under JASPERS, a joint initiative of the European Commission and the EIB.
This financing is part of the EIB’s broader EUR150 million support for modernizing Ukraine’s railways. In 2022, the first EUR100 million was provided as part of the EIB’s Ukraine Solidarity Urgent Response to finance emergency repairs and restore essential rail services. It was complemented by a EUR6.7 million EU grant to address urgent wartime needs.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu )