More Than 20,000 Wagons Carrying Ukrainian Cargo Queue at Western Border

This is according to data from Ukrzaliznytsia JSC, GMK Center reports.

The average waiting time for wagons to be handed over at the border is 19 days, rising to 32 days in the direction of Batiovo (the border with Hungary).

The situation at crossings with individual countries was as follows (number of wagons):

Poland: Yahodyn — 1,039; Izov — 5,820; Rava-Ruska — 66; Mostyska-2 — 2,589.

Romania: Vadul-Siret — 1,098; Diakove — 113.

Slovakia: Chop — 3,330; Uzhhorod — 2,436.

Hungary: Batiovo — 2,484.

Moldova: Mohyliv-Podilskyi — 1,212; Sokyriany — 109; Kuchurhan — 146; Basarabeasca — 276.

According to Iryna Kosse, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting (IER), problems are occurring at three levels.

«The first and, in my opinion, the main problem is getting wagons to the border. Air raid alerts and strikes on infrastructure, traction substations and locomotives bring traffic to a halt. On the Slovakian route, stations are ready to receive more trains, but the cargo is not arriving. In Zakarpattia, there is a shortage of locomotives and crews,» the expert noted.

At the second level, problems arise during the border crossing itself. Air raid alerts cause border and customs controls to be suspended, and recently this has also been happening on the Polish side. At the border with Hungary, trains have to wait two to three hours for inspections.

The third level of problems, according to Iryna Kosse, lies beyond Ukraine’s borders.

«One of the terminals at the Romanian port of Constanța was not accepting trains, while repair works are ongoing on Romania’s railway network. Wagon turnaround time to Constanța has increased to 12–13 days, compared with less than 10 days previously,» she emphasised.