The Ukrainian Railways joint-stock company (Ukrzaliznytsia) has begun purchasing a new generation of railcars that are more efficient throughout their life cycle. The new railcars will be able to last 20 years longer, have extended overhaul intervals, and require fewer maintenance and service personnel to operate.
As the CFTS portal reported, Ukrzaliznytsia announced this in a statement.
"Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Ukrzaliznytsia has faced a critical shortage of passenger cars. Priority is currently given to medical transport, military personnel, and organized children’s groups. However, it has not been possible to meet all passenger needs due to the limited availability of railcars. In 2025, 100 new railcars will be ordered, including five new-generation railcars as a pilot batch for future expansion," the statement said.
The current fleet of rolling stock relies on 1970s technology (including coal-fired heating and air conditioning systems that function fully only when a train is in motion), has higher operating costs (usually requiring two conductors per railcar), and is generally obsolete.
The batch of five new railcars with modern control systems will require fewer maintenance staff, have an almost 80% longer service life, and accommodate more passengers (up to 44 per compartment).
"If additional funding is made available from the state budget, we will be able to expand the rolling stock renewal program, particularly to purchase new-generation railcars," the company said.
The new cars will have an increased body width and an improved interior layout. These changes will allow the length of the sleeping berth to increase to 2.2 meters. The railcars will have pneumatic suspension systems to provide a smoother ride with reduced vibrations during travel.
In addition, the railcars will have automatic sliding doors and hermetically sealed inter-car gangways. All the railcars' systems will be controlled from the train manager's compartment.
Railcars of this type will transition from coal-powered heating systems to fully electric heating systems with upgraded individual temperature control in each compartment. This modern system will enable climate control during extended train stops.
Thanks to their stainless-steel bodies, the service life of these cars is 50 years. This is 20 years longer than the standard service life of Ukrzaliznytsia railcars.
The five new passenger cars are all compartment cars that can be converted into sleeper cars. One railcar will be accessible, featuring an electric lift, a ramp for high platforms, and an enlarged compartment for passengers traveling in wheelchairs.
Passengers in these railcars will have access to outlets with standard USB and USB Type-C ports, as well as wireless chargers for smartphones. Those in upper berths will have their own horizontally movable tables, and an additional washbasin will be available in the corridor.
"The expected cost is UAH 95.6 million per railcar, which is lower than the cost of purchasing a similar railcar from European railway companies," Ukrzaliznytsia said.
The railcars will be delivered within 2.5 years of the manufacturer receiving prepayment.
