UZ's test train with wide cars arrives in Warsaw from Ukraine

MOSCOW. June 1 (Interfax) - A test train with wide passenger cars typical for Ukraine has arrived in Warsaw from Kiev, Ukrainian media reported with reference to the Ukrainian national railway company Ukrzaliznytsia's (Ukrainian Railways, or UZ) social media post.

"Ukrzaliznytsia's test train including 14 cars of a size standard for Ukraine has successfully arrived in Warsaw. We expect a final approval from our Polish counterparts to provide more cars for the destination that is highly in-demand now," it said.

As reported earlier, the test's results would determine Poland's final decision on increasing the number of trains and passengers travelling between Kiev and Warsaw.

On Wednesday, May 31, 14 standard Ukrainian passenger cars departed Kiev for Warsaw. The cars' bogies were replaced with narrower ones fitting the 1,435-mm standard-gauge (known also as European gauge) railway at Yagodin. The test was designed to verify whether UZ's standard passenger cars are compatible with the upgraded infrastructure of Polish Railways.

Currently, UZ operates only trains composed of narrower cars cleared in line with the International Coach Regulations (Regolamento Internazionale Carrozze, or RIC) on the route between Kiev and Warsaw. As UZ could not increase its fleet of such cars, this produced a shortage of passenger tickets on the route.

A Ukrainian delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister for Ukraine's Reconstruction and Minister for the Development of Communities, Territories, and Infrastructure Alexander Kubrakov proposed testing wide cars and, if they fit Poland's railway infrastructure, allowing their regular operation. As reported with reference to UZ CEO Yevgeny Lyashchenko, this step would help double or even triple the number of seats offered for travelling directly between Kiev and Warsaw.

UZ operates 42 RIC-class railway cars.