A study published by the European Commission and the European Investment Bank (EIB) has proposed that narrower 1435mm-gauge track should be laid alongside existing 1520mm-gauge lines to Lviv, western Ukraine and Chiṣinău, the Moldovan capital to improving rail connections to Ukraine and Moldova from the European Union.
“Building the first EU rail gauge in Ukraine and Moldova, linking their railways with Poland and Romania, will bring them closer to the EU single market,” said EU commissioner for transport, Ms Adina Vălean International Railway Journal reported.
A study proposed developing a new backbone 1435mm network, to be operated in conjunction with the existing 1520mm network.
The narrower system would carry higher-speed traffic such as international passenger services and intermodal freight, while the wider one would cater for local and regional passenger traffic as well as bulk freight.
“With this study, we are setting the scene for long-term solutions, supporting Ukraine in its post-war trade and reconstruction,” Ms Vălean added.
The study says that the development of the 1435mm network in Ukraine and Moldova would be implemented in a phased manner from west to east to connect the largest urban centers to the 1435mm network future economic development.
Also taken into consideration was the need to maintain capacity on the current 1520mm network during the construction and operation of the new lines.
Top priority is given by the study to providing 1435mm on the route from the Polish border at Medyka to Lviv, and on the line from Ungheni on the Romanian border, to Chisinau.
For Medyka – Lviv, the upgrade is estimated to cost 1434 million euros and is preferred as “the level of traffic in this section is significant and thus a reduction of existing 1520mm-gauge capacity is not advisable,” the study says.
For similar reasons, the preferred option for the Moldovan route running from Ungheni on the border with Romania to Chisinau is to lay a single 1435mm track alongside the existing single 1520mm track would cost an estimated 264.8 million euros.
“Extending the standard gauge of the European railway network to Ukraine and Moldova will facilitate the movement of goods and services, helping the two countries to integrate more quickly into the EU market and accelerating Ukraine’s post-war recovery,” the European Investment Bank vice-president, Mr Teresa Czerwińska, responsible for the bank’s operations in Ukraine and Moldova was quoted as saying.
“Developing modern transport links is a way for us to foster the region’s economic growth and provide steadfast support to Ukraine and Moldova on their paths to EU integration.”
