Chacislaw & Zabolottia (Railway) Border Crossing

A Closed Secondary Rail Line

Important Note for Travelers: Due to the ongoing war in Ukraine and the volatile political situation with Belarus, this border crossing is closed and all rail services have been suspended. It is not operational. This guide is provided for historical and informational purposes only.

The railway border crossing connecting the area near Chacislaw (Khatislav) in Belarus with Zabolottia in Ukraine was a secondary rail line that served as an important local and regional link. Situated in the heart of the Polesie region, this was not a high-speed international corridor but a workhorse line, crucial for freight traffic and for the local passenger trains that connected the communities of the Brest and Volyn regions. To travel this route was to experience the rhythm of a regional railway, a journey through a landscape of forests, marshes, and small towns, a world away from the main express routes.

Operational Details

This checkpoint connected the Brest Region of Belarus with the Volyn Oblast of Ukraine. The key operational points were the railway stations at Zabolottia in Ukraine and the station serving the Malaryta district on the Belarusian side. This is a “break-of-gauge” point, where the 1520 mm broad-gauge track, used in both Belarus and Ukraine as part of the former Soviet system, meets the point where connections to the standard-gauge network of Poland would begin further west. The line was important for transporting goods such as timber, agricultural products, and other bulk materials.

A History of a Regional Link

The history of this railway line dates back to the era of the Russian Empire and was later expanded during the Soviet period. It was built to connect the strategic city of Brest with the agricultural and forested regions of Volhynia. The border, established after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, turned this internal Soviet line into an international one. For three decades, it continued to serve its vital function, facilitating cross-border trade and allowing for a local passenger service that was a lifeline for residents of the region, many of whom had family and economic ties on both sides of the border.

Former Border Procedure

The border crossing procedure for the trains on this line was a methodical process. Freight trains would stop at the border stations (Chacislaw/Malaryta and Zabolottia) for full customs and immigration checks of the crew and the cargo manifest. For the local passenger trains that once ran this route, border guards and customs officials from both countries would board the train at the respective border stations and move through the carriages to check the documents of the passengers. The process was generally slower and more personal than on the major international expresses, in keeping with the local character of the service.

The Surrounding Region

The surrounding region is the heart of Polesie, a vast, flat lowland of forests and wetlands. On the Belarusian side, the line serves the Malaryta district, a rural area southeast of Brest. On the Ukrainian side, Zabolottia is a small town that serves as a local railway hub. The line connects to the major city of Kovel, one of the most important railway junctions in western Ukraine. The region is known for its pristine nature, including numerous lakes and rivers, and is a popular destination for hunting and fishing. It is a land of traditional wooden villages and a strong local culture.

Closure Due to War

The closure of this railway crossing was an immediate and direct consequence of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Belarus’s role as a staging ground for Russian forces made the entire border a hostile frontier. All rail and road links were severed by Ukraine to prevent their use by the invading army. The railway line, which once carried goods and connected communities, became a strategic liability that had to be disabled. The tracks now lie silent, a physical manifestation of the broken ties between the two nations.

Final Considerations

The Chacislaw–Zabolottia railway crossing was a vital regional link, a workhorse that served the economic and social needs of the Belarusian and Ukrainian Polesie. It was a testament to the everyday connections that persisted after the fall of the Soviet Union. Its closure is a tragic consequence of the war, a silencing of the rails that has disrupted trade, severed community ties, and turned a functional railway line into a dormant piece of infrastructure in a conflict zone. It is a stark reminder of how war impacts not just the grand corridors of power, but the essential, everyday arteries of a region.