EU unlocks €2.8 bn for new rail corridors — €76 m goes to Ukrzaliznytsia

What Brussels just approved

“These awards cement the Solidarity Lanes with Ukraine and Moldova and accelerate Europe’s shift toward high-capacity, low-carbon transport.”
— Adina Vălean, EU Commissioner for Transport

Strategic projects involving Ukraine & neighbourhood

1. Sknyliv–Poland connector | €76 m
   Client: Ukrzaliznytsia (UZ)
   Scope: dual-gauge upgrade and station modernisation on the Lviv–state-border section; ties Lviv airport, bus hub and main rail yard into one multimodal node.

2. Romania: Ploiești–Focșani upgrade | €45 m
   Raises line speed & axle-load on 143 km of TEN-T “Solidarity Lane”.

3. Slovakia: Košice cluster | €129.5 m
   Vydrník–Spišská Nová Ves reconstruction (€97.3 m) + Košice–Čierna nad Tisou planning (€32.2 m) — future seamless hand-over to Ukrainian broad-gauge terminal.

Why the Sknyliv corridor matters for investors

• Trade throughput — Direct 1520 mm/1435 mm interchange will cut days off delivery times for grain, steel and containerised goods.

• Rolling-stock utilisation — European operators gain immediate access to Lviv logistics cluster without bogie exchange.

• Inter-modal synergies — 5 km to Lviv Central, 3 km to the international airport: prime location for high-value, time-critical cargo.

• Pipeline of EU funds — CEF II has earmarked further calls through 2027, prioritising lines feeding the Black Sea and Baltic export routes.

Next milestones

• Q4 2025 — formal grant agreement signed; tender packs issued by UZ.

• 2026-27 — construction start; parallel customs-IT upgrade at Polish border posts.

• 2028 — target commissioning of first European-gauge track into Sknyliv yard.

“Upgrading the Poland–Lviv rail spine is a low-risk, high-return anchor project for private logistics, agro-bulk and inter-modal funds looking at the wider Danube-Baltic trade belt.”
— Serhiy Derkach, Deputy Minister for Communities, Territories & Infrastructure

Broader CEF rail highlights

• Rail Baltica build-out across three Baltic States.

• High-speed corridors in Czechia & Poland.

• ERTMS roll-out in 11 EU countries.