The Czech-based RegioJet company, the largest private railway operator in Central Europe, plans to launch a train from Košice to Chop.
RegioJet’s owner Radim Jančura announced this in an interview with the CFTS portal.
"Firstly, we want to extend our existing railway route from Košice to Chop and, in the future, to Mukacheve. After that, we want to attach our train to the trains of Ukrzaliznytsia (the Ukrainian Railways joint-stock company) and launch services to Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi, and other cities in western Ukraine," he said.
Jančura added that since the European-gauge tracks reach as far as Mukacheve, there is a desire to launch a direct night train service train from Prague to Mukacheve, allowing passengers to get onto a train in Prague in the evening and wake up in Mukacheve.
"For this, it is necessary to restore the electrification of the European-gauge tracks on the Chop - Mukacheve railway section, which was previously electrified. However, some sections of the overhead catenary system were later dismantled," the owner of RegioJet said.
He also emphasized that RegioJet is ready to finance the electrification of this railway section.
According to Jančura, the company plans to launch a new train to Chop in 2023. The company is currently agreeing on the train timetables and terms with the Ukrainian Railways joint-stock company (Ukrzaliznytsia).
The RegioJet owner also said that the company has the largest share of traffic on the route from Prague to Košice, which is 70 km from Uzhhorod.
"We are considering extending the route to the city of Chop in the Zakarpattia region and, in the future, to Mukacheve," he said.
