Volumes of Freight Transported by Road

According to the State Statistics Service of Ukraine (million tonnes):

Year	Volume
2020	191.4000
2021	224.0000
2022	119.9560
2023	138.8595
2024	131.1386
2025	124.9478
6 months of 2025	59.4491
6 months of 2026	73.6997

As previously reported (see the information published in the “News” section on 5 August 2026), the Ministry for Restoration, Infrastructure and Transport of Ukraine, by Order No. 1449 dated 23 July 2026, increased freight rail transportation tariffs by 30%, effective 31 July this year.

Whenever the media report plans to increase freight rail transportation tariffs, a discussion almost invariably begins in Ukrainian society about the appropriateness of such a decision.

Opponents of the decision argue that an increase in freight rail transportation tariffs will result in freight volumes shifting from rail to road transport, which, in turn, will have a negative impact on the condition of the road network.

In other words, Ukraine’s economy risks losing both the freight base of JSC “Ukrainian Railways” and its own road network at the same time.

Today, this situation is becoming even more concerning, as the state does not have sufficient funds to fully repair even national roads. The State Road Fund, which began operating on 1 January 2018, ceased to perform its functions in 2024, when all of its funds were transferred to the general fund of the State Budget of Ukraine to strengthen the army and enhance national defence.

What will happen next with freight transportation by both rail and road, and whether the state will be able to allocate sufficient funds for the capital repair of roads, remains to be seen.

Photo source: https://www.magnific.com/