Ukrainian Railways is preparing for one of the largest stages of development in recent years. The Ministry of Community and Territorial Development presented plans for 2026, which simultaneously cover infrastructure modernization, improving passenger services, digitalization and deepening integration with the European transport system. This includes both the introduction of new management tools and the construction of strategic facilities that should change the architecture of rail transportation in Ukraine.

One of the key innovations will be the launch of a state order mechanism for passenger transportation. Such a tool is designed to ensure stable financing of this sector and will serve as a transitional stage to the European PSO system - a model used by EU countries to guarantee affordable and high-quality transportation. In parallel, 30 by-laws prepared within the framework of the draft law on the safety and interoperability of railway transport will be implemented.

Ukrzaliznytsia also expects a significant renewal of rolling stock: in 2026, 60 new cars will be put on the track, the purchase of which was contracted in 2025. In addition, a new order for additional cars is planned. Considerable attention has been paid to improving comfort: Wi-Fi will be installed in sleeping trains, and the modernization of rolling stock should provide better conditions for passengers on long routes.

Investments will also affect technical support. In 2026, the program for the purchase of small equipment for track maintenance will increase threefold. This will allow the railway to completely renew the fleet of specialized equipment by 2028, providing the railway with over 9 thousand units of modern equipment for prompt and stable infrastructure repairs.

The strategic project for next year will be the construction of the Eurorail in the direction of Mostyska II - Sknyliv. This section will create a direct and full-fledged connection of Lviv with the European railway network and will be another step in the practical integration of Ukraine into the EU transport space. In addition, the new train schedule for 2026 provides for the launch of convenient night connections to Uzhgorod from different regions of the country.

The announced plans are based on the achievements of 2025, which became a year of progress for the railway towards European integration. The volume of ticket offers on international routes was increased by 20% - up to 8 thousand seats per day. This became possible thanks to the launch of new flights: Kyiv - Bucharest, Kharkiv - Przemysl, Kremenchuk - Przemysl and Kryvyi Rih - Przemysl. A separate breakthrough was the construction of a 22 km long Eurorail between Chop and Uzhhorod, which opened up the possibility of non-stop trips from Uzhhorod to Austria, Slovakia and Hungary.

2025 also brought a new quality in services and convenience for passengers. An experimental mechanism for passing border and customs control on trains heading to Poland directly during movement was introduced - this reduced the duration of the trip by about an hour. Ukrzaliznytsia received 66 new sleeping cars, capable of transporting more than 1 million passengers per year, including inclusive cars and special cars for people with visual impairments.

Development remained noticeable on domestic routes. Modernization of cars continues in compliance with accessibility requirements - 16 units of rolling stock are currently being updated. Work is underway at stations to create a barrier-free environment. In addition, 12 electric trains that serve residents of Kyiv, Odessa and Chernihiv regions daily were modernized, which significantly improved the quality of regional transportation.

Thus, Ukrzaliznytsia enters 2026 with a comprehensive development program that combines infrastructure investments, technological modernization and deepening cooperation with European partners, forming a modern and sustainable railway system of the country.