Ukraine is preparing the first double-decker cars: what is known about the railroad upgrade
11 November 18:04
Deputy Minister of Finance of Ukraine Oleksandr Kava met with representatives of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine (ACC) and Ukrainian business to discuss attracting investment in transport infrastructure, developing the railway sector and implementing European standards for financing reconstruction.
This was reported by the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
What is known about the modernization of the railway
According to Kava, over the past five years, the government has purchased 166 modern Ukrainian-made passenger railcars, and in 2025 a contract was signed for another 100 new railcars to be delivered in 2026.
The draft budget for 2026 provides UAH 5.7 billion for the purchase of 100 more cars, including the first modern double-decker passenger car.
“Double-decker cars will allow us to carry 80% more passengers at almost the same maintenance costs,” Kava emphasized.
In the future, it is planned to create double-decker trains for night and day routes.
European gauge and integration with the EU
A separate part of the meeting concerned the accession of the Ukrainian railroad to the European transport network TEN-T. Ukraine already receives grant co-financing from the EU – 50% of the cost of projects under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) program.
These funds are used to build a 1435 mm Euro gauge and develop logistics routes:
- this year, the Chop-Uzhhorod section (22 km) was completed;
- in 2026, work is scheduled to start on the Polish border – Lviv;
- in the medium term, the European gauge is to appear in Chernivtsi and Lutsk.
Electrification is also underway from Chop to Uzhhorod, which is scheduled to be completed by the summer of 2026.
Due to the full-scale war, public spending priorities are focused on defense and security, but the government sees the development of transport infrastructure as a key factor in economic recovery.
