Ukrainian rail transport is one of the most important sectors of the industrial
nfrastructure of the national economy - the foundation of the transport system of Ukraine.
The Future of the Railway Transport of Ukraine related to the implementation of strategic
decisions, including reforming and implementing large-scale innovation projects. The
organization of the high-speed passenger traffic is the most relevant today.
The future of the passenger traffic by rail of Ukraine depends on the further
development and improvement of highways, and on the creation of high-speed highways in the
uture. It will help to improve the competitiveness of the rail transport.
The purpose of the article – is to research the world experience of the implementation of
high-speed railway traffic by rail and prospects of its development in Ukraine.
The world experience of the implementation of the high-speed railway traffic by rail of
Western Europe and Japan, Great Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Spain, Italy,
France and China is considered.
The models according to which the reformation of Ukrzaliznytsia can be implemented
are considered:
1.The European model is the first one, it assumes that cars and locomotives are owned
by private companies competing with each other. Routes, stations and other infrastructure are
owned by the state or state company, such as Ukrzaliznytsia. Private operators pay for the use
of the public infrastructure.
2. The second model assumes that the state owns the infrastructure and rolling stock,
but private companies are eligible to railroading market in order to increase the service
quality by means of the competition.
3. The third model is implemented in the United States, Canada, Brazil and Mexico. It
implies the existence of several railway companies like Ukrzaliznytsia. It means that tracks
and trains are in their possession, and they compete with each other through offering
transportation by alternative routes.
In Ukraine the high-speed running (up to 300 km / h) is unlikely to be possible in the
near future. Such speed needs a separate line, where neither crossing with other highways nor
a large number of turns of small radius will prevent the railway traffic. By international
experience, its construction will cost several dozens or hundreds of millions of dollars. For
example, in China, where the construction of high-speed roads is put on a grand scale, the cost
ofa kilometer of this highway is$ 10-20 million.
Therefore, the most promising way for railway transport of Ukraine is to develop so-
called accelerated motion (up to 160 km / h) on the basis of available ways.
Considering the world experience, to enhance the efficiency of the Ukrainian rail
transport currently it is necessary:
1. To develop the accelerated motion (up to 160 km / h) on the basis of available routes.
2. To enhance the speed of passenger trains to 200km / h, it requires the technical re-
equipment of railroad facilities, providing of further mechanization of its technologic processes.
3. To implement the high-speed running, a separate new track should be built for it,
which provides the possibility of the passenger train movement ata speed of 200 - 350 km / h.
In this regard capacities of the rail transport and other organizations should be involved.
4. To divide freight and passenger flows.
To improve the competitiveness of high-speed trains “Intercity+” it is necessary:
1. To reduce the term of travel;
2. To optimize the schedule of high-speed trains;
3. To extend the network of highways network throughout the whole territory of Ukraine;
4. To optimize the rate of tariffs in order to attract extra passengers to high-speed traffic.
5. To implement the high-speed traffic on the territory of Ukraine.
The main direction of Ukrainian rail transport development is the establishment and
further improvement of speed and then high-speed highways. This will create a number of
competitive advantages not only for rail transport, but also for the entire state economy by
increasing amount of passengers.