Adif has entered into a collaborative agreement with Ukrainian Railways to assist in the reconstruction and modernization of Ukraine's railway network. This partnership formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by Adif's President Ángel Contreras and Ukrainian Railways' President Yevhen Liashchenko, aims to use Spanish expertise in high-speed rail, infrastructure maintenance, energy supply, and variable gauge systems to support Ukraine's efforts to improve its railway system.
A focal point of this international cooperation is the initiation of a pilot project in Ukraine to implement Adif's automatic variable gauge freight system, a Spanish technology designed to improve the interoperability of freight trains across different gauge networks. This system, which allows freight wagons to automatically adjust their gauge for seamless travel between countries with different track widths, aims to reduce transit times and operational costs, thereby enhancing efficiency and connectivity within the European rail network.
In addition, the partnership will explore opportunities to secure European Union funding to support the implementation of the pilot project. The agreement also covers wider areas of cooperation, including high-speed rail consultancy, assessment of the Ukrainian network's compliance with European standards, energy supply systems, and procurement strategies. With different track gauges on the Spanish, Ukrainian, and standard European rail networks, this cooperation is a crucial step towards solving the long-standing problem of gauge incompatibility, particularly in freight transport, where the problem is exacerbated by heavier loads and the need for gauge or load transfers.
