The first train deployed in the operation moved 23 trucks across the border from Ukraine into Poland this morning, Ukrzalynitsya said.
Officials were working out ways to speed up the procedure and efforts were under way to have trucks moved in the opposite direction, into Ukraine. Drivers were being moved across the border by bus, the statement said.
Polish truckers began blocking the main corridors into Ukraine last month in protests against the terms of EU access for Ukrainian lorries. The blockage has led to higher prices for fuel and some food items, along with delays to drone deliveries to the Ukrainian army.
Valeriy Tkachyov, deputy director of the commercial department at Ukrainian railways, earlier told the Interfax Ukraine news agency that the train was loaded and ready to go.
Mr Tkachyov said the Ukrainian and Polish sides were harmonising technical issues.
“As soon as this test train passes and all is well, we will launch this on a mass scale,” Mr Tkachyov said.
Ukrainian authorities say about 3,000 trucks are blocked on the Polish side of the border and the authorities have not been able to agree with the protesters on terms to stop the action.
Polish hauliers’ main demand is to stop Ukrainian truckers having permit-free access to the European Union, something that Kyiv and Brussels say is impossible.
