Ukraine plans to launch railway connections with Slovakia with a transfer in Chop by the end of 2024, reported the Deputy Minister for Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine, Serhiy Derkach.
In mid-December, they plan to launch a train from Kyiv to Košice via Chop, with a potential extension to Bratislava. The train will also include carriages to Vienna, reported Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal following the second intergovernmental consultations with Slovakia.
Currently, construction is underway for a narrow-gauge railway to Uzhhorod, which will provide passenger connections between the cities of Bratislava and Chop, extending to Uzhhorod. This route is planned to be launched in the next two years.
There are also plans to develop the "Pavlove - Mat'ovce" crossing. It currently operates as a cargo point, but it will also be able to serve passenger traffic. This will eventually enable a connection from Uzhhorod to Košice and Bratislava via another shorter route.
Additionally, the "Uzhhorod - Vyshne Nemetske" crossing will be expanded for pedestrians. New equipment has already been installed, and the traffic lanes have been widened, increasing daily capacity by a thousand vehicles.
At the "Maly Berezny - Ublya" crossing, there are plans to increase the load capacity so that trucks weighing up to five tons can cross it. This will help alleviate traffic at the Uzhhorod crossing.