Construction is underway for a new intermodal terminal in western Ukraine near the border of Romania. The terminal will facilitate freight transfers between trains, gauge changes as well as road-to-rail and vice versa. Its aim is to improve logistical connectivity between Ukraine and EU countries.

The terminal is being built in Hlyboka, close to the border with Romania in Ukraine’s Chernivtsi oblast. It is designed to facilitate the transfer of freight between trains, from road to rail and rail to road. Whereas the terminal will allow for intermediate freight storage, it is not required for transfers to be carried out.

The new multimodal terminal will accept trains from Ukraine’s 1,520 mm gauge as well as European standard 1,435 mm gauge and enable transfers between the two. The terminal will have a processing capacity of 1,000 tonnes of freight hourly. It will be able to load 16 wagons of 50 tonnes onto standard European gauge within that same timeframe.

Earlier, the EU and European Investment Bank developed a plan for rail integration between the EU and Moldova and Ukraine. The plan ultimately envisions a complete European gauge railway network in both countries.

Also read:

• Ukraine to start building European gauge railway connecting to Poland
• EIB adds 42 million euros for railway upgrades in Moldova
• Ukrainian Railways scale-up rolling stock production