Thread by @o_hudzeliak

Renaissance of #CrossBorderRail in 🇺🇦

Restoration of railway line Przemyśl (PL) - Khyriv (UA) - Krościenko (PL) is underway!

What is special about this railway?
Why is it useful for PKP?
And why did armed soviet border guards drive by the open doors of each carriage?

Thread⬇️

Railway was built in 1872 as part of the First Hungarian-Galician railway, which connected Budapest with Lviv

At that time, railway didn't cross any borders - it was Austro-Hungarian Empire. But after the end of WW2, track crossed 3 countries: Ukraine, Poland and Czechoslovakia

Railway begins in Przemyśl (PL), after 12 km it crosses UA-PL border. After 38 km through the territory of Ukraine, it returns to Poland again

Approximately in the middle there is Khyriv station (UA) - a connection point with broad gauge railway network of Ukraine

Original track gauge - 1435 mm, as it was everywhere in western part of 🇺🇦 before WW2. But then track in 🇺🇦 part became combined - 1435+1520 mm

For Poland this railway was always important. Why? Just look at the map again. The shortest way to Zagórz and via Lupkov Pass to 🇸🇰

Since 1963, under a special agreement, PKP has launched passenger trains on this railway through the territory of 🇺🇦

For many Poles it was the only opportunity to see the neighboring country. Only from the window. "Solina" train from Warsaw to Zagórz was running there

An unusual precedent. Train didn't stop at 🇺🇦 part, passengers didn't go through checks at the border, but soviet border guards stood at the door in each car and made sure that no one jumped out, threw anything, etc.

Jokes were circulating about them

Photo: Tadeusz Suchorolski

In 1994 "Solina" train was canceled. Since then, railway border Malhowice (PL) - Nyzhankovychi (UA) has become abandoned

Second border crossing Starzhava (UA) - Krościenko (PL) was more fortunate - 🇵🇱 local trains ran there until 2010

A piece of history: special steam train for enthusiasts at Khyriv station and, of course, Ukrainian border guards

1994
Photo: Adrian Nicholls

If we talk about broad gauge trains, there were few of them. Only local trains to Sambir station, they ceased to exist in 2020 "due to the lockdown"

Photo: Gábor Loránd Nagy

New life of this railway began in 2022, although it has not yet been fully renovated. But looking at these photos, faith in a good future appears

So important feeling in these dark times

This is my photo from 2017. 5 am, morning train from Starzhava. 2 passenger cars and 3 containers! Yes, these trains were mixed - you don't see that very often in 🇺🇦

To take this photo, I had to spend the whole night at the Khyriv station - all for the sake of a good 📷

End ;)