On November 6 in Uzhhorod, during the Ukraine–EU Transport Dialogue, a grant agreement was signed between JSC Ukrzaliznytsia and the EU’s CINEA agency under the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) program.
The agreement provides €73.5 million in grant funding for the implementation of a European standard-gauge railway (1435 mm) from Lviv to the Polish border on the section Mostyska II – Sknyliv (Lviv). This covers the first phase of construction.
The grant agreement was signed in the presence of Oleksiy Kuleba, Vice Prime Minister for Ukraine’s Recovery – Minister for Communities and Territories Development, and Oleksandr Pertsovsky, Chairman of the Board of JSC Ukrzaliznytsia. The document was presented on behalf of the European Commission by Magda Kopczynska, Director-General of the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (DG Move).
“This project is not just about infrastructure. It is about the unity and security of Europe. Every euro invested in Ukraine’s transport system contributes to stability, recovery, and the protection of the EU’s external borders. We are grateful to the European Commission for its continuous support of Ukraine’s integration into the European transport network. Ukrainian Railways will soon begin preparatory work for the construction of the ‘European gauge’ to Lviv. We plan to complete this strategic project by the end of 2027,” said Oleksiy Kuleba.
The project involves the construction of approximately 80 km of European standard-gauge railway (1435 mm) from the Polish border to Sknyliv near Lviv.
The total cost of the project is around €190 million, of which €73.5 million has been confirmed as non-repayable EU funding through the CEF program.
The first phase is expected to be completed by the end of 2027. The project will create direct and interoperable connections between Ukraine and the TEN-T European network, promoting logistics, trade, and the integration of Ukraine’s transport system into the common European space.
Background: The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) is the EU’s key financial instrument for the development of trans-European transport, energy, and digital networks (TEN-T). Ukraine joined the program in 2023.
Since then, the country has participated in over ten joint projects with Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Moldova, covering border checkpoint development, road modernization, and river and aviation infrastructure.
