In September, Slovakia became the leading destination for Ukrainian grain transferred by rail among Ukraine's four neighbouring EU countries. Around 76 grain railcars per day, equivalent to almost 4,900 tonnes, were transferred through the Ukrainian-Slovak border crossings. Compared with August, the daily rate increased by 35 railcars. For comparison, Hungary received around 64 railcars per day, Romania 58.1, and Poland approximately 58.
Overall, Ukraine's western rail routes significantly strengthened their role in September. During the first 22 days of the month, 603,500 tonnes of grain were transported by rail for export, of which approximately 503,000 tonnes, or 83%, moved through western border crossings. This volume increased by 67.9% compared with the corresponding period in August.
The Slovak route recorded the strongest growth. In July, around 17–25 railcars per day were transferred through the border with Slovakia. The figure increased to approximately 27–40 railcars in August and reached as much as 82.5 railcars per day during certain periods in September. However, land logistics remain more expensive than maritime transportation, while the route's capacity can be constrained by border infrastructure, transshipment capacity and competition with other cargoes.
The increase in shipments through Slovakia comes amid a broader redistribution of Ukraine's grain logistics. During the first 22 days of September, Ukrainian railways transported 1.025 million tonnes of grain across all types of traffic, 19.3% more than during the corresponding period in August but almost 38% below the previous year's level. Therefore, the growing importance of the Slovak route primarily reflects a shift in export logistics and the increasing role of Ukraine's western border, rather than an overall increase in Ukrainian grain exports.