Toll road to the border: Ukraine begins modernization of key highway
1 December 2025 08:30
Ukraine is preparing to launch the first toll road, which may appear on the Kovel – Yahodyn – Dorohusk border crossing on the border with Poland. This is one of the most important highways for international logistics, where the largest freight traffic is recorded today. This was announced by Deputy Minister of Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine Serhiy Derkach in an interview with CTS, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
What is planned to change on the Kovel-Yahodyn highway
According to Derkach, the road is to be reconstructed and expanded to four lanes to provide fast and comfortable communication with Poland. A modern highway is already under construction on the Polish side, and the Ukrainian section should be its logical continuation.
The project is being considered in the format of a public-private partnership, as modernization requires large investments. According to the official, the highway with high traffic can become a toll road, which will make the project interesting for investors.
“It is important to take into account the interest of the business and the number of vehicles that will use the road. This allows us to understand whether the project will be financially viable,” Derkach explained.
Why Kovel-Yahodyn can become the first “pilot”
There is a large freight and passenger traffic here;
there is an important railway junction;
the road is a key corridor for international transportation;
the highway connects Ukraine with the Polish highway and access to the EU.
Derkach called this route a “good case” for testing the toll road model in Ukraine.
What we know about toll roads before
Before the full-scale invasion, Ukraine had already planned to launch several toll roads. At the time, the Cabinet of Ministers set the estimated tolls at UAH 0.80 to UAH 4.6 per kilometer, depending on the type of vehicle.
According to the government decree, the tolls (in euros/km) were to be as follows
- passenger cars and motorcycles – 0.023
- cars with a trailer and small trucks up to 3.5 tons – 0.023
- trucks of 3.5-12 tons and buses with up to 29 seats – 0.045
- trucks over 12 tons and large buses – 0.045
In 2024, the ministry began studying traffic on six major highways to see which ones might be economically feasible for tolling.
When the first toll road will start working
There is no specific date yet, as the project is still in the process of being developed, traffic analysis, and a financing model. However, the ministry confirms that the Kovel-Yahodyn highway is considered the first in line.
This highway could be the start of a modern toll road infrastructure in Ukraine, bringing the country closer to EU standards and opening up new opportunities for business and international logistics.
