In cooperation with Ukrainian Railways, the Austrian rail operators ÖBB Rail Cargo Group (RCG) is connecting Ukraine to its intermodal network with the new TransFER Vienna–Kyiv line. The new connection between Kiev and Vienna, which stops in Budapest and Lviv, is ÖBB’s freight subsidiary’s first regular, high-frequency intermodal connection between Ukraine and the many hubs in Central Europe. This was announced by RCG while attending the Transport Logistic trade show in München on May 9.

Standard gauge traction is provided in Europe by the RCG from the Ukrainian border onwards – all from a single source. RCG will also be handling additional logistical services such as terminal services, import and export customs and much more. RCG‘s partner Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukrainian Railways) will take over on the broad gauge all the way to the Ukrainian/Hungarian border.

Speaking at Transport Logistic, ÖBB CEO Andreas Matthä paid tribute to the ‘reliability and resilience’ of UZ and its staff despite the effects of the full-scale Russian invasion. He said the new service ‘would use the full RCG network to bring the Ukrainian economy into Europe’.

UZ management board member Viacheslav Yeromin added that the railway ‘hoped to offer this service shortly to our customers’, believing that ‘it will run even more efficiently after our victory’ in the war. ‘Ukraine is essential as a source market for European supply chains’, he said.