Map of the high-speed rail network with a connection to Ukraine

Ukrainian Railways to study first high-speed rail line to Poland in European gauge

Map of the high-speed rail network with a connection to Ukraine Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK)

Ukrainian Railways signed a cooperation agreement with the Polish Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK) with the intention to develop a high-speed railway line in European standard gauge between Warsaw and Kyiv, via Lviv. The cooperation agreement was signed during the Railway Direction Days in Warsaw organised by CPK this week.

The main objective of the agreement is the development of new cross-border connections between Poland and Ukraine on the European 1435 mm gauge, in particular the construction of a high-speed railway line. The agreement initially lasts for three years, in which the cooperation will be established via the creation of a working group, which is to fulfil the high-speed rail objectives through workshops, joint research, exchange of documentation and experience.

The first step will be a joint feasibility study for the high-speed line Warsaw-Lviv-Kiev, which will have an assumed maximum operating speed of 250 kilometres per hour. CPK has declared its readiness to exchange knowledge and experience, and to transfer its technical standards of the high-speed line, as well as the Passenger Transport Model.

Ukraine’s railway network is in 1,520 mm gauge, which is prevalent in all post-Soviet countries, as well as in Russia. A high-speed railway line in European gauge to Poland would thus be the first line connecting Ukraine westward in the same railway gauge. Similarly, the Baltic states which also have 1,520 mm rails are also building a high-speed railway line in European gauge, making it easier to connect to the railway network of neighbouring countries in Europe. CPK signed a cooperation with Rail Baltica and Czech rail infrastructure manager Správa železnic as well this week.

CPK’s CEO Mikołaj Wild and Volodymyr Shemaev of Ukrainian railways sign the cooperation for a HSR line, which Wild calls a “historic moment”

‘Historic moment”

“Today’s agreement aims to improve railway links between Ukraine, Poland and the EU, facilitate passenger traffic, improve economic exchange and strengthen the safety of our transport corridors”, said Volodymyr Shemaev, Director of the Office of International Projects of Ukrainian Railways at the signing. “I hope that cooperation with the CPK will bring us closer to the construction of the first HSR with a European gauge and will be an important step towards Ukraine’s integration with the EU”.

Mikołaj Wild, CEO of CPK, commented: “This is a historic moment. Together with Ukrainian Railways, we are starting joint work on the Warsaw-Lviv-Kiev HSR line. The shortest route from Ukraine to the EU goes through Poland and CPK”.

CPK and Ukrainian Railways will also jointly seek opportunities to obtain EU funding for the planned lines. The EU standards for the design, construction and maintenance of railway infrastructure will be implemented in the plans, including for signalling and GSM-R communication. In the future, both parties also agreed to jointly develop a management model for the constructed lines. The signatories also declared their willingness to contribute to the reconstruction of Ukraine once the war Russia is waging in the country is over.

Read more:

Author: Esther Geerts

Former Editor RailTech.com

3 comments op “Ukrainian Railways to study first high-speed rail line to Poland in European gauge”

Joachim Falkenhagen|20.01.23|15:26

Going through Warsaw is quite a detour for much of the traffic from Lviv to C. Europe. With a route from Kyiv to Lviv through Luzk or Riwne (pop. >200,000), Lviv would be a detour en route to Warsaw.

I believe the two main alternatives would be to build the Ukrainian from Lviv to close to Przemysl, also good for Lviv-Warsaw, then build a new diagonal line Przemysl to Lublin, or build from Riwne or Luzk straight to Lublin (pop. 340,000).

Spain shows drawbacks of an isolated high-speed system.

bönström bönström|20.01.23|22:46

At a separate new cargo system, the service rendered ware owners, will be ensured, as well high quality as redundancy – at large scale cargo transports…
Best of course it is with both.

Alex Terrell|17.07.23|15:13

Warsaw to Kyiv would be very useful for Ukraine.
What would be very useful for the EU – even before Ukraine joins, is a Warsaw to Bucharest high speed rail, motorway, and HVDC line. The central 300km of this would pass through Ukraine and bypass the Carpathian mountains which help make EU North-South travel difficult.

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Ukrainian Railways to study first high-speed rail line to Poland in European gauge | RailTech.com
Map of the high-speed rail network with a connection to Ukraine

Ukrainian Railways to study first high-speed rail line to Poland in European gauge

Map of the high-speed rail network with a connection to Ukraine Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK)

Ukrainian Railways signed a cooperation agreement with the Polish Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK) with the intention to develop a high-speed railway line in European standard gauge between Warsaw and Kyiv, via Lviv. The cooperation agreement was signed during the Railway Direction Days in Warsaw organised by CPK this week.

The main objective of the agreement is the development of new cross-border connections between Poland and Ukraine on the European 1435 mm gauge, in particular the construction of a high-speed railway line. The agreement initially lasts for three years, in which the cooperation will be established via the creation of a working group, which is to fulfil the high-speed rail objectives through workshops, joint research, exchange of documentation and experience.

The first step will be a joint feasibility study for the high-speed line Warsaw-Lviv-Kiev, which will have an assumed maximum operating speed of 250 kilometres per hour. CPK has declared its readiness to exchange knowledge and experience, and to transfer its technical standards of the high-speed line, as well as the Passenger Transport Model.

Ukraine’s railway network is in 1,520 mm gauge, which is prevalent in all post-Soviet countries, as well as in Russia. A high-speed railway line in European gauge to Poland would thus be the first line connecting Ukraine westward in the same railway gauge. Similarly, the Baltic states which also have 1,520 mm rails are also building a high-speed railway line in European gauge, making it easier to connect to the railway network of neighbouring countries in Europe. CPK signed a cooperation with Rail Baltica and Czech rail infrastructure manager Správa železnic as well this week.

CPK’s CEO Mikołaj Wild and Volodymyr Shemaev of Ukrainian railways sign the cooperation for a HSR line, which Wild calls a “historic moment”

‘Historic moment”

“Today’s agreement aims to improve railway links between Ukraine, Poland and the EU, facilitate passenger traffic, improve economic exchange and strengthen the safety of our transport corridors”, said Volodymyr Shemaev, Director of the Office of International Projects of Ukrainian Railways at the signing. “I hope that cooperation with the CPK will bring us closer to the construction of the first HSR with a European gauge and will be an important step towards Ukraine’s integration with the EU”.

Mikołaj Wild, CEO of CPK, commented: “This is a historic moment. Together with Ukrainian Railways, we are starting joint work on the Warsaw-Lviv-Kiev HSR line. The shortest route from Ukraine to the EU goes through Poland and CPK”.

CPK and Ukrainian Railways will also jointly seek opportunities to obtain EU funding for the planned lines. The EU standards for the design, construction and maintenance of railway infrastructure will be implemented in the plans, including for signalling and GSM-R communication. In the future, both parties also agreed to jointly develop a management model for the constructed lines. The signatories also declared their willingness to contribute to the reconstruction of Ukraine once the war Russia is waging in the country is over.

Read more:

Author: Esther Geerts

Former Editor RailTech.com

3 comments op “Ukrainian Railways to study first high-speed rail line to Poland in European gauge”

Joachim Falkenhagen|20.01.23|15:26

Going through Warsaw is quite a detour for much of the traffic from Lviv to C. Europe. With a route from Kyiv to Lviv through Luzk or Riwne (pop. >200,000), Lviv would be a detour en route to Warsaw.

I believe the two main alternatives would be to build the Ukrainian from Lviv to close to Przemysl, also good for Lviv-Warsaw, then build a new diagonal line Przemysl to Lublin, or build from Riwne or Luzk straight to Lublin (pop. 340,000).

Spain shows drawbacks of an isolated high-speed system.

bönström bönström|20.01.23|22:46

At a separate new cargo system, the service rendered ware owners, will be ensured, as well high quality as redundancy – at large scale cargo transports…
Best of course it is with both.

Alex Terrell|17.07.23|15:13

Warsaw to Kyiv would be very useful for Ukraine.
What would be very useful for the EU – even before Ukraine joins, is a Warsaw to Bucharest high speed rail, motorway, and HVDC line. The central 300km of this would pass through Ukraine and bypass the Carpathian mountains which help make EU North-South travel difficult.

Add your comment

characters remaining.

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