During 2025, Ukraine’s railway transported 161.3 million tons of cargo, which is 13.6 million tons or 7.8% less compared to 2024.
This is reported by Finway
Dynamics of Transportation by Cargo Types
An analysis of the cargo flow structure indicates that ore cargo constituted the largest share, with volumes reaching 42.8 million tons, which is only 1.3% less than in 2024. For the first time in recent years, construction materials surpassed grain cargo in transportation volumes: 31.2 million tons were transported, showing a growth of 3%. In contrast, grain cargo totaled 28.8 million tons by the end of the year, which is 27.3% less compared to the previous year.
Structure of Transportation by Directions and Main Factors of Decline
By transportation directions, exports amounted to 74 million tons (45.9% of the total volume), imports – 12.3 million tons (7.6%), transit – 0.5 million tons (0.3%), and domestic transportation – 74.5 million tons (46.2%).
The key reasons for the decline in freight transportation volumes were the reduction in coal and grain transportation. Coal flows decreased due to systematic attacks by Russia on thermal energy facilities, leading to a reduction in electricity production and accumulation of coal in warehouses.
The situation with grain transportation was more complex: the decrease in transportation volumes was caused by record levels of grain cargo transportation due to the shift in the export of the 2023 grain harvest following the opening of the maritime corridor, the nearly month-long delay in the 2025 corn harvest (farmers physically could not export the volumes of corn in the fall of 2025), as well as logistical complications in November-December 2025 due to strikes on railway and port infrastructure.
In comparison to previous years, in 2023, railway transport carried 148 million tons of cargo, while in 2022, it was 151 million tons. For comparison, in 2021, before the full-scale invasion by Russia, this figure was 314 million tons.