Cooperation on rails: Austria hands over two special vehicles to support the Ukrainian railway infrastructure Mobility Minister Peter Hanke: ‘Austria stands firmly by Ukraine - politically, economically and in terms of infrastructure’
The Republic of Austria – represented by Mobility Minister Peter Hanke – is handing over two special trains to the Ukrainian state railway company Ukrsalisnyzja (UZ) as a sign of the cooperation and long-standing partnership. Last Wednesday, the vehicles were handed over to the Ukrainian Ambassador to Austria, H.E. Vasyl Khymynets.
Peter Hanke, Federal Minister for Infrastructure: "Austria stands firmly by Ukraine – politically, economically and in terms of infrastructure. The handover of these two special trains is a clear sign of our commitment. We are not only supporting reconstruction, but also the development of the future – for an even more closely networked, peaceful Europe."
The two X534 motorised tower wagons – special vehicles for the construction and maintenance of overhead lines – will be used in future for the expansion of a new European standard-gauge line between Chop and Ushgorod. This line is a decisive step in Ukraine's strategic orientation towards greater integration into the European railway network.
Vasyl Khymynets, Ukrainian Ambassador to Austria: "We would like to thank Austria, especially ÖBB, for handing over these special trains. It is both a further sign of solidarity and concrete support for Ukraine. Thanks to the expansion of the new railway line, Ukraine will be even better connected to Europe, and our people and economies will benefit equally."
Since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression, the Ukrainian railway has been the backbone of the country – for supplying the population as well as for the economic connection to Europe. The fact that Ukrsalisnytsya has been able to maintain stable operations with a punctuality rate of over 90 percent under the most difficult conditions is an impressive achievement and underlines the expertise of the Ukrainian state railway. The current construction of the electrified standard-gauge line between Chop and Ushgorod will enable continuous train connections from Munich via Vienna and Budapest deep into western Ukraine in future - without reloading or re-gauging. This will connect Ukraine even more closely to Europe, not only in terms of infrastructure, but also symbolically.
Austria and Ukraine – strong partners by rail
ÖBB has been working closely with the Ukrainian railway for decades - in both passenger and freight transport. The direct overnight train connection between Vienna and Kyiv has been in place since 2017 and has become even more important since the start of the war. In the freight sector, Ukraine was already a key partner for agricultural products, ore and coal before the war. The focus is currently on goods and grain exports as part of the EU "Solidarity Lanes", which ÖBB supports to the best of its ability.
ÖBB has been providing concrete help since the outbreak of the war: it has provided protective clothing, generators and logistical support - and now another milestone has been reached with the handover of the motorised tower cars.