More than 20 thsd freight wagons accumulate at Ukraine’s western rail border crossings

As of October 23, 2026, a total of 20,718 freight wagons were waiting on approaches to railway border crossings along Ukraine’s western border. The average waiting time for wagons to be handed over to neighboring countries’ railway operators was 19 days, reaching 32 days at the Batyevo crossing on the Hungarian border. According to Ukrzaliznytsia, only 837 wagons were located directly at border stations, while the rest were waiting to move toward the border across Ukraine’s domestic railway network.

The largest queues were recorded at crossings with Poland, including Izov with 5,820 wagons, Mostyska-2 with 2,589 and Yahodyn with 1,039. On the Slovak border, 3,330 wagons were waiting at Chop and 2,436 at Uzhhorod. Another 2,484 wagons were queued at the Batyevo crossing with Hungary, while 1,098 were waiting at Vadul-Siret on the Romanian border. Significant freight volumes had also accumulated at crossings with Moldova.

According to Iryna Kosse, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting, the main logistics problems arise even before cargo reaches the border. Air raid alerts and attacks on railway infrastructure, traction substations and locomotives cause transport delays. On the Slovak route, for example, border stations are ready to receive more trains, but freight is not arriving in sufficient volumes. A shortage of locomotives and train crews in Zakarpattia is creating additional difficulties.

Challenges also arise during border crossings. Air raid alerts periodically suspend border and customs inspections, while checks on the Hungarian route can delay trains by two to three hours. Another problem is the accumulation of empty wagons, which occupy tracks at border terminals and limit their handling capacity. On the Moldovan route, a shortage of locomotives operated by the country’s railway company remains an additional constraint.

Restrictions are also affecting railway operations outside Ukraine. One terminal at Romania’s Port of Constanța temporarily stopped accepting trains, while repairs on the Romanian railway network increased wagon turnaround times on this route to 12–13 days, compared with less than 10 days previously. Meanwhile, transport requests exceed the capacity of border crossings. Prolonged waiting times reduce the number of wagons available for subsequent trips, creating additional risks for export logistics, including agricultural commodity shipments.

Tags: Ukraine, rail transportation