Transport in Ukraine

Transport in Ukraine includes ground transportation (road and rail), water (sea and river), air transportation, and pipelines. The transportation sector accounts for roughly 11% of the country's gross domestic product and 7% of total employment.

In total, Ukrainian paved roads stretch for 164,732 kilometres (102,360 mi).[1] Major routes, marked with the letter 'M' for 'International' (Ukrainian: Міжнародний), extend nationwide and connect all major cities of Ukraine, and provide cross-border routes to the country's neighbours.

International maritime travel is mainly provided through the Port of Odesa, from where ferries sail regularly to Istanbul, Varna and Haifa. The largest ferry company presently operating these routes is Ukrferry.[2]

Rail transport in Ukraine connects all major urban areas, port facilities and industrial centres with neighbouring countries. The heaviest concentration of railway track is the Donbas region of Ukraine. Although rail freight transport fell in the 1990s, Ukraine is still one of the world's highest rail users.[3]

The total amount of railroad track in Ukraine extends for 22,473 kilometres (13,964 mi), of which 9,250 kilometres (5,750 mi) was electrified in the 2000s.[1] The state has a monopoly on the provision of passenger rail transport, and all trains, other than those with cooperation of other foreign companies on international routes, are operated by its company Ukrzaliznytsia.

Kyiv Boryspil is Ukraine's largest international airport. It has three main passenger terminals and is the base for the country's flag carrier, Ukraine International Airlines. Other large airports in the country include those in Kharkiv, Lviv and Donetsk (now destroyed). In addition to its flag carrier, Ukraine has a number of airlines including Windrose Airlines, Dniproavia, Azur Air Ukraine, and AtlasGlobal Ukraine. Antonov Airlines, a subsidiary of the Antonov Aerospace Design Bureau, was the only operator of the world's largest fixed wing aircraft, the An-225.

Economy

Transport infrastructure

The in Ukraine has traditionally addressed only the basic needs of the economy and population. However, it remains underdeveloped in terms of safety, efficiency, and environmental sustainability. Its energy consumption is significantly higher than the EU average, and much of its infrastructure dates back to the Soviet era.[4][5]

Despite its advantageous geographical location and historically important transit position between Europe and Asia, Ukraine’s logistics sector has long suffered from chronic underinvestment and poor connectivity. This has led to high domestic transport costs and reduced export competitiveness.[6][7]

Since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ukraine’s transport infrastructure has experienced widespread damage. According to a joint assessment by the World Bank, European Commission, and United Nations, total losses in the transport sector alone exceeded US$95.5 billion by mid‑2023, with about 60% of roads and significant parts of the railway network affected.[8][9]

In response, Ukraine has adopted the national strategy Drive Ukraine 2030, which aims to modernize infrastructure, decarbonize freight transport, and integrate Ukraine into the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN‑T). The strategy outlines reforms in procurement, digitalization, and multimodal logistics.[10][11]

Major donors including the World Bank, IFC, European Investment Bank, and G7 partners have committed funding to support Ukraine’s recovery. In December 2024, the World Bank approved a US$2.05 billion package for economic stabilization, transport sector reform, and reconstruction of critical infrastructure, including roads and Ukrainian Railways.[12][13]

The total reconstruction cost is estimated at over US$524 billion over 10 years, with about 15% allocated to transport, including ports, bridges, rail, and urban transit.[14]

Despite reform efforts, Ukraine’s transport infrastructure remains inefficient. Transport and heating account for a significant share of the country’s energy consumption. Decarbonization and modernization of logistics chains remain among the core challenges for the coming decade.[15]

International transport corridors

The advantageous geographical position of Ukraine allows for the location of a number of International Transport Corridors on its territory, in particular :

Transport industry

The share of the transport sector in Ukraine's gross domestic product (according to statista) as of 2021 was 5.42%.[16] The number of workers employed in the sector is 8% of total employment.[17] The transportation infrastructure of Ukraine is adequately developed overall, however it is obsolete and in need of major modernization. A remarkable boost in the recent development of the country's transportation infrastructure was noticed after winning the right to host a major continental sport event the UEFA Euro 2012.

In 2009, Ukrainian infrastructure provided for the transportation of 1.5 billion tons of cargo and 7.3 billion passengers. Due to the 2008 financial crisis, the volume of freight traffic decreased by 17.6% in 2009 when compared with figures from 2008; passenger transport fell by 12.7%.

Freight and Passenger Transportation Statistics[18]
Transported tons of freights Freight kilometres (thousand) Transported passengers (thousand) Passenger kilometres (thousand)
2000 938,916.1 19,281,619.3 2,603,804.6 29,381,541.2
2002 947,263.8 20,593,133.1 3,069,136.3 35,812,231.1
2004 1,027,396.3 28,847,143.4 3,720,326.4 47,490,401.3
2006 1,167,199.6 40,566,469.9 3,987,982.2 53,981,705.3
2008 1,266,598.1 54,877,223.3 4,369,125.5 61,302,884.5

Rail

Main article: Rail transport in Ukraine

The public railways in Ukraine are managed by the state railway company Ukrzaliznytsia.[19]

Network length (2010)

The length of the railway network Ukraine ranks third in Europe (21.700 kilometres of track).

  • 22,000 km (13,670 mi) broad gauge of 1,520 mm (4 ft 11+27⁄32 in), ~10,000 km (6,214 mi) electrified (3 kV DC and 25 kV AC)
  • 201 km (125 mi) of 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge, electrified

Metro

In Ukraine, there are 4 metro systems: the Kyiv Metro, the Kharkiv Metro, the Dnipro Metro and the Kryvyi Rih Metro.

Roads

Main article: Roads in Ukraine
See also: Automotive industry in Ukraine and Category:Bridges in Ukraine

The development of public roads in Ukraine is currently lagging behind the pace of motorisation in the country. During 1990-2010 the length of the highways network hardly increased at all. The density of highways in Ukraine is 6.6 times lower than in France (respectively 0.28 and 1.84 kilometres of roads per square kilometre area of the country). The length of express roads in Ukraine is 0.28 thousand km (in Germany – 12.5 thousand kilometres in France – 7.1 thousand kilometres), and the level of funding for each kilometre of road in Ukraine is around 5.5 – 6 times less than in those locations.

This is due to a number of objective reasons, including that the burden of maintaining the transport network per capita is significantly higher than in European countries because of Ukraine's relatively low population density (76 people per square kilometre), low purchasing power of citizens (1/5 of the Eurozone's purchasing capacity), relatively low car ownership and the nation's large territory.

The operational condition of roads is very poor; around 51.1% of roads do not meet minimum standards, and 39.2% require major rebuilds. The average speed on roads in Ukraine 2–3 times lower than in Western countries. As of 2016, many of Ukraine's major provincial highways are in very poor condition, with an Ukravtodor official stating that 97% of roads are in need of repair. The road repair budget was set at about ₴20 billion, but corruption causes the budget to be poorly spent and overweight trucks are common place rapidly causing more road damage.[20]

  • Total: 169,477 km
  • Paved: 164,732 km (102,360 mi) (including 15 km (9 mi) of expressways); note – these roads, classified as "hard-surfaced", include both hard-paved highways and some all-weather gravel-surfaced roads.
  • Unpaved: 4,745 km (2,948 mi) (2004)

Principal roads

Motorways in Ukraine, 193 km (120 mi) (2010):

Kyiv – Boryspil | Kharkiv – Dnipro

State Highways, 8,080 km (5,020 mi) (2009):

M01 | M02 | M03 | M04 | M05 | M06 | M07 | M08 | M09 | M10 | M11 | M12 | M13 | M14 | M15 | M16 | M17 | M18 | M19 | M20 | M21 | M22 | M23

Note: State highways are important national routes and are not necessarily high-speed roads

Bus

Overview

Bus transport forms a vital part of Ukraine's passenger transit, encompassing:

  • Urban and suburban buses operated by municipal entities like Kyivpastrans and private companies.
  • Intercity coach services linking regional centers.
  • International bus routes to Europe (e.g., Poland, Czech Republic, Germany).

In 2023, bus passenger turnover totalled 49 billion passenger-kilometres—around 38% of domestic passenger transport—ahead of trolleybuses (6%) and trams (3%).[21]

Kyiv

Kyivpastrans, the city’s municipal operator established in 2001, runs a fleet of approximately 650 buses across 107 urban routes.[22]

The main coach hub is the Kyiv Central Bus Station, rebuilt in 2021. It includes 16 platforms and hosts major carriers such as Autolux, Gunsel, and Ecolines.[23]

Lviv

The bus network in Lviv includes around 69 routes (49 in service as of 2021), operated by four private firms and one municipal company, with approximately 390 vehicles. In 2024, buses carried nearly 89.9 million passengers, comprising ~70% of total public transport use in the city.[24]

Autolux

Autolux is a major private bus operator in Ukraine:

Detail Information
Founded 1997 by AAZ Trading Co., based in Kyiv
Fleet Over 50 intercity passenger coaches (Neoplan, MAN, Setra, Temsa)[25]
Network Domestic routes: Kyiv–Lviv, Kyiv–Odesa, Kyiv–Kharkiv, Kyiv–Poltava, Kyiv–Dnipro, Kyiv–Zaporizhzhia. International routes to Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, and Baltic states[26]
Frequency ~40 domestic and international departures per day[27]
On-board services Reclining seats, air conditioning, Wi-Fi, USB/power outlets, toilet (on international coaches)
Baggage policy 1–2 pieces of luggage up to 30 kg and 1 carry-on up to 5 kg

Other operators

Other intercity and international bus companies include:

Aviation

Outlook

Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ukraine has closed its airspace to all civilian flights; it remains suspended as of May 2025.[28] Ukraine currently operates about 20 civilian airports, of which 15 have sustained wartime damage.[29] Negotiations are underway to partially reopen several airports—potentially including Lviv—in 2025, pending risk assessments and safety clearances.[30][31] Boryspil Airport authorities report that a new joint military-civil security framework is already 60–70 % complete, aiming to enable a phased reopening.[32]

While the aviation sector has largely been dormant, commercial airlines such as Wizz Air and Ryanair have announced plans to resume flights within **6 weeks of a ceasefire**, aiming to re-establish routes and bases in Kyiv and Lviv.[33][34]

Airlines

  • Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) – founded 1992, pre-war fleet ~40 aircraft; operations suspended in 2022 and bankruptcy proceedings opened in Nov 2023.[35]
  • SkyUp Airlines – low-cost/charter operator founded 2018, fleet ~11 Boeing 737s; shifted primarily to ACMI leasing and continues operating via EU subsidiary.[36]
  • Constanta Airline – Zaporizhzhia-based charter carrier with An-26/An-74 and Boeing 737-300, holds EU/US certificates; serves humanitarian and commercial missions.[37]
  • Bees Airline – launched 2021 with Airbus A320s; Ukrainian AOC revoked in 2022, now flying under Romanian AOC.[38]

Airports

See also: List of airports in Ukraine
  • Civilian airports in operation (May 2025): ~20, many non‑operational due to damage.[39]
  • Pre-war total airports and airfields: ~148 (paved + unpaved) per CIA World Factbook.
  • Major international hubs include Boryspil (Ukraine's largest, pre-war handling ~65% of traffic), Lviv, Odesa, Kharkiv, Dnipro, among others.[40]
  • Odesa International Airport opened its new arrival terminal in April 2017.[41]
  • Zaporizhzhia International Airport’s new terminal (opened Oct 2020) was destroyed by Russian missile in May 2024.[42]

Future developments

  • Lviv International Airport may reopen in spring–summer 2025; airlines including Wizz Air, SkyUp, Lufthansa, LOT, Turkish Airlines, airBaltic, and Austrian Airlines have signaled readiness.[43]
  • Uzhhorod International, on the Slovak border, is being upgraded (≈ €700 000) to support early commercial operations.[44]
  • Reopening of Boryspil and other major airports depends on military-air‑defence coordination, security clearances, and insurers’ risk coverage.[45][46]

Water transport

River transport

1,672 km (1,039 mi) navigable waterways on 7 rivers, most of them are on Danube, Dnieper and Pripyat rivers. All Ukraine's rivers freeze over in winter (usually December through March), limiting navigation. However, river icebreakers are available on the Dnieper, at least in vicinity of Kyiv.[47]

Danube

The most important waterway of Ukraine.

Dnipro

Dnipro within Ukraine is a regulated system of reservoirs separated by dams with shiplocks. The river is navigable through all its Ukrainian length.

Pripyat

Notable riverport Chernobyl is now abandoned due to the Chernobyl disaster, but the waterway retains its importance as part of the Dnieper–Baltic Sea route.

Southern Bug

Plans are announced to revitalize commercial freight navigation on the Southern Bug as part of the increasing grain export from Ukraine.[48]

Sea transport

Merchant marine

Sea ports and harbours

Further information: List of ports in Ukraine

As of July 2013, Ukraine had 18 "marine trade ports" available for foreign ships' entry.[49] Some of these "marine trade ports" are actually port conglomerates comprising several non-adjacent ports and tenant private terminals. Major river ports are also considered "marine" international ports.

Other notable seaports

Important supporting agencies

  • Delta Lotsman, the maritime pilot company serving the territorial waters of Ukraine
  • "Derzhhidrohrafiya" (State Hydro Geography),[53] a scientific-production complex of hydro-geographical state companies and science-research center "Ukrmorkartohrafiya" (all lighthouses located in Ukraine belong to the institution)[54] The Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation refuses to surrender former Soviet navigational facilities since 1997
  • Maritime Security Agency[55] in correspondence of the SOLAS International Convention (including its amendment the ISPS Code)
  • Shipping registry of Ukraine
  • Port registry of Ukraine

Shipping companies

Ship building and maintenance companies

  • Ship building and maintenance companies of Ukraine[56]

Pipelines

See also: Russia–Ukraine gas disputes

Natural gas

Ukraine’s natural gas transmission system—one of the world’s largest—comprised approximately 38,550 km of pipelines as of 2024, including 22,160 km of mainlines and 16,390 km of branch lines.[57] It includes 72 compressor stations (702 compressor units, total power 5,442.9 MW) and 13 underground gas storage facilities with a combined active capacity of about 30.9 billion m³.[57] As of 2009, the system could import up to 288 billion m³ of gas annually and export up to 178.5 billion m³—including around 142.2 billion m³ to Europe.[57][58] In 2024, Russia shipped approximately 14 billion m³ of gas through Ukraine—down sharply from peak years—as contracts expired and pipelines were damaged during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[59]

Crude oil

Ukraine’s crude oil pipeline network includes both domestic and international routes. It consisted of 4,514 km of pipelines as of 2010.[60] Notably, the southern branch of the Druzhba pipeline system passes through Ukraine, carrying Russian oil and Kazakh oil toward Central Europe.[61] The 674 km-long Odesa–Brody pipeline links Odesa to Brody, near the Polish border, and has been used for both northbound and southbound flows since 2002.[62] In 2024, about 230,000 barrels per day (≈11.5 million tonnes/year) of Russian crude flowed through Ukraine—mainly to Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic—via the Druzhba system.[63]

Petroleum products

Ukraine had about 4,211 km of petroleum products pipelines as of 2010.[64] These pipelines carry Gasoline, diesel, heating oil, and other refined products across the country, linking refineries, storage depots, and key border points—primarily in the eastern and central regions.

Ammonia

The Soviet-era Togliatti–Odesa ammonia pipeline, operated in Ukraine by Ukrhimtransamiak, was the longest of its kind in the world, with a total length of approximately 2,200 to 2,470 km.[65][66] It had an annual capacity of 2.5 million tonnes of Ammonia transported to the Port of Odesa for global export.[67] Operations were halted in 2022 after damage caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, including a confirmed rupture in Kharkiv Oblast in June 2023.[68]

Summary table

Product Length (km) Notes
Natural gas 38,550 Includes 22,160 km trunk, 16,390 km branches; 13 underground storages; max transit ~288 billion m³/year
Crude oil 4,514 Includes Druzhba pipeline and Odesa–Brody pipeline (674 km)
Petroleum product 4,211 National refined fuels distribution
Ammonia ~2,200–2,470 Togliatti–Odesa ammonia pipeline, inactive since 2022

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Ukraine". CIA World Factbook. 13 December 2007. Retrieved 24 December 2007.
  2. ^ "Судоходная компания Укрферри. Морские паромные перевозки на Черном Море между Украиной, Грузией, Турцией и Болгарией". Ukrferry.com. Retrieved 30 December 2010.
  3. ^ "Transportation in Ukraine". U.S. Government Printing Office. Retrieved 22 December 2007.
  4. ^ Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), 2024
  5. ^ World Bank, 2023 – NTSU 2030 Strategy Summary
  6. ^ OECD – Ukraine Transport Quality Charter, 2025
  7. ^ CSIS – Ukraine Logistics & Multimodal Gaps, 2024
  8. ^ Reuters, Nov 2024
  9. ^ Reuters, Feb 2025
  10. ^ World Bank, NTSU 2030
  11. ^ European Commission Ukraine Progress Report 2023
  12. ^ Reuters, Dec 2024
  13. ^ Reuters, Apr 2024
  14. ^ Reuters, Feb 2025
  15. ^ Transport & Environment – Building Back Better in Ukraine, 2024
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  17. ^ https://cepr.org/voxeu/columns/ukraines-wages-and-job-loss-trends-during-war
  18. ^ "2E +% C2% E0% ED% F2% E0% E6% ED% B3 +% F2% E0 +% EF% E0% F1% E0% E6% E8% F0% F1% FC% EA% B3 +% E0% E2% F2% EE% EF% E5% F0% E5% E2% E5% E7% E5% ED% ED% FF & path =.. / Database/Regiostat/13/01 / & lang = 1 Freight and passenger road transportation in Ukraine". stat.lviv.ua.
  19. ^ Industrial railways and metros in cities are managed independently.
  20. ^ Dan Peleschuk (16 June 2016). "Ukraine's Broken Road to Europe". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
  21. ^ Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine – 2023 Report on Passenger Transport (in Ukrainian)
  22. ^ Kyivpastrans official page
  23. ^ Kyiv Central Bus Station
  24. ^ Urban Mobility Data – City Institute of Lviv, 2024
  25. ^ Autolux official page
  26. ^ Autolux route map
  27. ^ Autolux – About Us
  28. ^ Reuters: Ukraine says war has damaged most of its civilian airports, Nov 2024
  29. ^ Reuters, Nov 2024
  30. ^ NV.UA, Jan 2025
  31. ^ Reuters, Nov 2024
  32. ^ NV.UA, Feb 2025
  33. ^ Reuters, Feb 2025
  34. ^ Reuters, Feb 2025
  35. ^ Reuters, Mar 2024
  36. ^ Reuters, Mar 2024
  37. ^ Constanta Airline – Official Website
  38. ^ Aviation Voice – Bees Airline loses Ukrainian AOC, Mar 2022
  39. ^ Reuters, Nov 2024
  40. ^ US News/Reuters, Nov 2024
  41. ^ Russian Aviation Insider, Apr 2017
  42. ^ Ukrinform – Russian missile destroys Zaporizhzhia Airport terminal, May 2024
  43. ^ Aviation Direct, Mar 2025
  44. ^ Aviation Direct, Mar 2025
  45. ^ NV.UA, Feb 2025
  46. ^ Reuters, Nov 2024
  47. ^ "Киевскую дамбу может разрушить только метеорит или война — Эксперт". www.segodnya.ua.
  48. ^ «НИБУЛОН» заложил основу собственного флота(in Ukrainian)
  49. ^ Уряд затвердив перелік українських морських портів, відкритих для заходження іноземних суден. Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (in Ukrainian). 6 July 2013. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
  50. ^ "Порт "Камыш-Бурун"". www.altcom.ua.
  51. ^ Warrick, Joby (8 September 2013). "Ukrainian port eyed as analysts seek Syria's arms source". The Washington Post. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
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  54. ^ "Єжель вимагає повернути Україні маяки в Криму". comments.ua.
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  56. ^ "Про затвердження переліку суднобудівних підприємств, для я... - від 21.12.2005 № 1256". zakon4.rada.gov.ua.
  57. ^ a b c Natural gas transmission system of Ukraine
  58. ^ Natural gas transit through Ukraine down 24.8% year on year, Kyiv Post, 16 November 2009
  59. ^ Reuters, December 2024
  60. ^ Transport in Ukraine
  61. ^ International Energy Agency – Ukraine Energy Profile
  62. ^ Odesa–Brody pipeline
  63. ^ Reuters, February 2025
  64. ^
  65. ^ The Togliatti–Odesa ammonia pipeline (Forumul Securității Maritime)
  66. ^ Technical description of the Togliatti–Odesa ammonia pipeline
  67. ^ [1]
  68. ^ [2]

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