In the first 12 months of 2025, 161.3 million tons of freight were transported by rail in Ukraine, a decrease of 13.6 million tons, or 7.8%, compared to 2024. Domestic shipments accounted for almost half of this volume – 74.5 million tons, or 46.2% of the total. Exports amounted to 74 million tons (45.9%), imports – 12.3 million tons (7.6%), and transit shipments remained minimal, reaching 0.5 million tons.
Ore retained its leading position in the cargo structure, with 42.8 million tons, a decrease of 1.3% compared to the previous year. Mineral construction materials outpaced grain for the first time, increasing their volume to 31.2 million tons (+3%), while grain shipments decreased to 28.8 million tons, a decrease of 27.3% compared to 2024. The decline in freight volumes was largely due to a decline in coal and grain shipments.
The decline in coal shipments was due to systemic damage to thermal power plants, which led to a decline in electricity production and a buildup of coal stockpiles in warehouses. The decline in grain shipments was complex and was caused by record export volumes for the 2023 harvest following the opening of the sea corridor, a nearly month-long delay in the 2025 corn harvest, and logistical disruptions in November and December due to attacks on rail and port infrastructure. For comparison, 148 million tons of freight were transported by rail in 2023, 151 million tons in 2022, while in 2021, before the full-scale invasion, the volume reached 314 million tons.