Ukrainian railway development plan for 2026 includes state-funded passenger transport, Wi-Fi in sleeper trains – ministry
Ukraine's key railway development plans envision the introduction in 2026 of a state contract mechanism for domestic passenger transportation, which will include compensation for the difference between the economically justified cost of transport services and state-regulated fares, the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development said in a statement.
"This decision [the state contract for passenger transportation] is a transitional step toward implementing the future PSO (public service obligations) system in line with European standards," the ministry's Wednesday press release said.
According to the ministry, 60 new passenger railcars contracted in 2025 are expected to be delivered in 2026, along with the signing of a new order and a threefold expansion of the procurement program for small equipment for track workers and power engineers. In particular, between 2026 and 2028, Ukrzaliznytsia will receive more than 9,000 units of equipment, enabling the company to fully meet the needs of track infrastructure across the entire network.
Other items planned for 2026 include modernization of rolling stock, installation of Wi-Fi in sleeper trains, and the introduction of 30 bylaws under the draft law on railway transport safety and interoperability.
The ministry added that 2026 will also see continued construction of the European-gauge rail line on the Sknyliv–Mostyska-II route, which will link Lviv with the European railway network. With EU support through the Connecting Europe Facility, Ukraine has already received EUR 73.5 million for this project.
As reported earlier, Ukrzaliznytsia reduced revenue from ordinary activities by 15.4% year-on-year in January–September 2025, to UAH 66.03 billion, posting a net loss of UAH 7.32 billion compared with a net profit of UAH 1.66 billion in the same period of 2024.
Passenger transport revenue rose 11% to UAH 9.5 billion, while revenue from freight and postal transport declined 19% to UAH 50.1 billion. Revenue from other services fell 14.7% to UAH 6.36 billion.
