Corridor guide
Moving freight between Ukraine and the EU by rail
Rail freight between Ukraine and the EU cannot run through in one wagon: Ukraine uses 1520 mm gauge and the EU uses 1435 mm. At the border the cargo is either transshipped into a wagon of the other gauge or the wagon has its bogies changed. Everything else — customs, storage, onward legs — arranges itself around that one fact.
The one constraint that shapes everything
Ukrainian railways run on 1520 mm track. The European network runs on 1435 mm. The difference is 85 millimetres, and it is enough to stop a loaded wagon at the frontier.
Every routing decision on this corridor follows from that: where the break happens, how the cargo crosses it, how long that takes, and what it costs in handling. A forwarder who plans the corridor without planning the break is planning half a journey.
How cargo crosses
| Method | What happens | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Transshipment | Cargo is moved into a wagon of the other gauge, or onto a truck | Bulk, palletised goods, steel, timber, machinery |
| Bogie exchange | The wagon is lifted and its bogies swapped | Cargo that is hard to move or awkward to re-secure |
| Road leg | Cargo continues by truck from the border area | Time-critical or smaller consignments |
We work by transshipment, with cranes on site for pieces too heavy for standard handling equipment. Bogie exchange is explained in our Romanian guide; if it would genuinely suit your consignment better, we will tell you.
A typical westbound movement
- Cargo is loaded in Ukraine into broad-gauge wagons.
- The train reaches the border and formalities begin.
- Wagons are received on 1520 mm track in the terminal.
- Cargo is transshipped onto standard-gauge wagons or onto trucks.
- If needed it is stored — including in a bonded warehouse while clearance is arranged.
- It continues into the EU by rail or road.
Eastbound is the same sequence in reverse: European wagons in, broad gauge out.
What tends to go wrong
From what we see at the terminal, the delays are rarely about track capacity. They are about information:
- Weights that turn out to be estimates. A heavy piece needs a real figure before a crane is planned around it.
- No lifting points. A machine with nowhere obvious to sling costs hours.
- Loading gauge overlooked. A load that fits comfortably in a 1520 mm wagon can exceed the European loading gauge even though the weight is fine.
- Paperwork arriving after the cargo. The wagon sits while documents catch up; storage is cheaper than demurrage, but only if it is arranged in advance.
Customs
Rules change and depend on the goods, their origin and the procedure chosen. We do not give customs advice and we are not a broker. Work with a customs broker and verify current requirements with the competent authority.
What we provide is the physical side — receiving, transshipment, lifting, storage — and space under customs supervision while the formalities run.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
Why can't a wagon just continue across the border?
Its wheels are fixed to the axle at a spacing matching one gauge only. There is no adjustment that can be made in transit.
Which is faster, transshipment or bogie exchange?
It depends on the cargo and on what is available on the route. If the goods end up on a truck anyway, transshipping directly removes a step.
Can you store cargo mid-route?
Yes, indoors or outdoors, and under customs supervision where the goods are not yet cleared.
Do you handle project and oversized cargo?
Yes, with our own 50 and 80 tonne mobile cranes. Send weight, dimensions and lifting points.
Do you arrange the whole route?
No — we are the terminal operator at the break of gauge, not a freight forwarder. We work alongside your forwarder.
Planning a Ukraine–EU movement?
Tell us what you are shipping and in which direction, and we will explain how it would be handled here.