Croatian Railways ( hr, Hrvatske željeznice; abbreviated as HŽ) is the national railway company of
Croatia
, image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg
, anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capit ...
. Croatia is a member of the
International Union of Railways
The International Union of Railways (UIC, french: Union internationale des wikt:chemin de fer, chemins de fer) is an international rail transport industry body.
History
The railways of Europe originated as many separate concerns, and there wer ...
(UIC). The
UIC Country Code for Croatia is 78. The Croatian rail network carried 20.270 million passengers in 2018.
Railway network
![Zagreb, Main Station](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/Zagreb%2C_Main_Station.JPG)
, the Croatian railway system consists of 2,617 km of rails (of which 275 km is double track). 970 km of track (37.1% of the network) is electrified.
There are several major
railway
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...
routes in the country:
* (via
Ljubljana
Ljubljana (also known by other historical names) is the capital and largest city of Slovenia. It is the country's cultural, educational, economic, political and administrative center.
During antiquity, a Roman city called Emona stood in the ar ...
,
Slovenia
Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, an ...
)
from Dobova via Zagreb, Slavonski Brod and Vinkovci to Tovarnik (and onwards to
Belgrade
Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...
,
Serbia
Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...
), with a connection in
Strizivojna–Vrpolje towards
Osijek
Osijek () is the fourth-largest city in Croatia, with a population of 96,848 in 2021. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja ...
*
from Zagreb to Koprivnica
*
from Zagreb to Oštarije and Rijeka
* from Oštarije to
Split
*
from Zagreb to Sisak
*
from Zagreb to Varaždin
There are other routes to
Slovenia
Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, an ...
,
Hungary
Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia a ...
,
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...
and
Serbia
Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...
, as well as regular overnight trains to
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
(namely
Villach
Villach (; sl, Beljak; it, Villaco; fur, Vilac) is the seventh-largest city in Austria and the second-largest in the federal state of Carinthia. It is an important traffic junction for southern Austria and the whole Alpe-Adria region. , the po ...
). The network enjoyed a limited number of improvements in the 2000s, such as an increase in the maximum speed of the Zagreb-Novska-Vinkovci line: certain sections of the route have had witnessed a rise in maximum speed from 80 km/h to 160 km/h.
The Croatian Rail network dates back to the mid 19th century, when the first train lines were built around Zagreb and Northern Croatia in 1857 though 1860. Of the current network of 2,617 km in operation
(some 300 km of rail track isn't operational due to low demand), only 17% allow for speeds over 100 km/h, of these only 5% of the network allows speeds in excess of 160 km/h. Some 970 km of the rail network is electrified and only 275 km of the rail network is double tracked.
In 2007/8 Croatian railways transported over 46 million passengers, the latest figures for the number of passengers aren't available due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
, but are likely to have dropped significantly.
None the less, the long awaited modernization of the entire rail network infrastructure is underway, with feasibility studies underway on main routes to
Split, a new high speed link to
Rijeka
Rijeka ( , , ; also known as Fiume hu, Fiume, it, Fiume ; local Chakavian: ''Reka''; german: Sankt Veit am Flaum; sl, Reka) is the principal seaport and the third-largest city in Croatia (after Zagreb and Split). It is located in Primor ...
and a section of track linking
Krapina
Krapina (; hu, Korpona) is a town in northern Croatia and the administrative centre of Krapina-Zagorje County with a population of 4,482 (2011) and a total municipality population of 12,480 (2011). Krapina is located in the hilly Zagorje region ...
and Varaždin. A detailed survey and project documentation on routes linking
Zagreb
Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slop ...
with
Novska
Novska is a town in the Sisak-Moslavina County of Croatia. It is located in western part of the historic region of Slavonia, between Kutina and Nova Gradiška, linear distance southeast of the capital, Zagreb.
Demographics
Novska has a total pop ...
and onward to
Vinkovci
Vinkovci () is a city in Slavonia, in the Vukovar-Syrmia County in eastern Croatia. The city's registered population was 28,247 in the 2021 census, the total population of the city was 31,057, making it the largest town of the county. Surrounde ...
as well as Zagreb to
Karlovac
Karlovac () is a city in central Croatia. According to the 2011 census, its population was 55,705.
Karlovac is the administrative centre of Karlovac County. The city is located on the Zagreb- Rijeka highway and railway line, south-west of Zagre ...
have been completed and a public tender for works on these lines is underway. Work on a high speed €500 million rail link which will initially be limited to maximum speed of 160 km/h is underway between
Dugo Selo
Dugo Selo is a town in Zagreb County, Croatia.
Geography
Dugo Selo (lit. ''Long Village'') is a 20 km drive from Zagreb city centre.
The town covers an area of 51 km² and it consists of numerous settlements. The summit of the hill M ...
and
Križevci
Križevci (; la, Crisium; hu, Kőrös ; german: Kreutz ) is a city in central Croatia with a total population of 21,122 and with 11,231 in the city itself (2011), the oldest city in its county, the Koprivnica-Križevci County.
History
The f ...
, and the line between
Koprivnica
Koprivnica () is a city in Northern Croatia, located 70 kilometers northeast of Zagreb. It is the capital and the largest city of the Koprivnica-Križevci county. In 2011, the city's administrative area of 90.94 km2 had a total popu ...
and the Hungarian border is also under construction, eventually this line will link
Rijeka
Rijeka ( , , ; also known as Fiume hu, Fiume, it, Fiume ; local Chakavian: ''Reka''; german: Sankt Veit am Flaum; sl, Reka) is the principal seaport and the third-largest city in Croatia (after Zagreb and Split). It is located in Primor ...
and
Zagreb
Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slop ...
with
Budapest
Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population ...
, work on this line should be completed by end of 2024.
The route between
Dugo Selo
Dugo Selo is a town in Zagreb County, Croatia.
Geography
Dugo Selo (lit. ''Long Village'') is a 20 km drive from Zagreb city centre.
The town covers an area of 51 km² and it consists of numerous settlements. The summit of the hill M ...
and Novska will receive a 2nd track and after modernization of the entire line between Zagreb and Vinkovci, which should be completed by 2026/7, trains should be able to attain speeds of 160 km/h on much of the track, with much higher speeds possible but limited due to signalization which will limit speeds to 160 km/h. To ensure such speeds local road traffic and pedestrian crossings will be separated by construction of underpasses and overpasses for pedestrians and road traffic removing any risk of collisions on any segment of the route. Modernization of rail routes between Zagreb -
Savski Marof
Savski Marof is a naselje (settlement) in the municipality of Brdovec, Zagreb County, Croatia. According to the 2001 census, it has 35 inhabitants living in an area of . This makes it the least dense settlement and the smallest by population in B ...
is nearing completion, and the modernization of the
Zaprešić -
Zabok
Zabok is a town and situated in northwest Croatia in the Krapina-Zagorje County. According to the 2011 census, it has a total population of 8,994, with 2,714 in Zabok itself. Zabok is situated on the main crossroads in the heart of Hrvatsko Zagor ...
24 km link is also nearing its end; the modernization includes realigning of the entire route, laying completely new tracks and electrification of the entire route. Eventually, the Zagreb -
Varaždin
)
, image_photo =
, image_skyline =
, image_flag = Flag of Varaždin.svg
, flag_size =
, image_seal =
, seal_size =
, image_shield = Grb_Grad ...
route with this section being part of the route, will undergo the same modernization allowing speeds of 100–140 km/h on the route.
As of late 2020, only 17.5% of the entire Croatian rail network allows for speeds over 100 km/h, nearly 40% of the network allows for a maximum speed of 60 km/h, with the remaining 44% of the rail network allowing for speeds between 60 km/h and 100 km/h. After the modernization of some main rail corridors and a few key regional corridors, speeds on the entire network should increase with half of network or some 1500 km allowing for speeds of over 100 km/h and the remaining 1400 km for speeds between minimum of 60 km/h and up to 100 km/h, eliminating slow routes entirely. However, the modernization of the entire network is an ongoing process dependent on government and EU funding, however the most optimistic time frame for a complete modernization of the Croatian rail network could run in to several decades.
Recent EU report placed Croatian railway infrastructure almost at the bottom of EU, with only several Baltic states, Bulgaria and Romania having worse infrastructure, average speed on Croatian rail network was barely 58.7 km/h and satisfaction with Croatian rail service was at all time low at 29%. Major investments in to rail infrastructure in past 3 years no doubt has improved average speed but there's still massive work that needs to be done before Croatian rail infrastructure is on par with their western counterparts. Not surprisingly actually, but Croatian motorway infrastructure is one of the best in the EU according same EU report, this is after massive investment in to road infrastructure over past few decades.
Railway modernisation is set to be extended further, and a national 'railway investment plan' (with funding totalling over 18 billion
HRK through 2012) was announced; following the 2008–09 financial crisis, however, the plan has yet to come to fruition.
Dobova-Tovarnik line (International corridor X)
![Croatian railways tilting and regional](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/27/Croatian_railways_tilting_and_regional.png)
The railway lines
M101,
M102,
M103 and
M104 linking
Dobova
Dobova () is a settlement in the Municipality of Brežice in eastern Slovenia, close to the border with Croatia. The railway line from Ljubljana to Zagreb runs through the settlement and the station is an international railway border crossing. The ...
, Zagreb and
Tovarnik
Tovarnik (, sr-Cyrl, Товарник, hu, Felsőtárnok, german: Sankt Georg, la, Ulmo) is a municipality in the Vukovar-Syrmia County in Croatia next to the border with Serbia with the town of Šid and the village of Ilinci on the other sid ...
, operating the length of Croatia east-west via Zagreb, are the country's most important railway line, and part of the
Pan-European corridor X. It is also the most advanced and busiest, being completely
electrified and consisting mostly of
double track
A double-track railway usually involves running one track in each direction, compared to a single-track railway where trains in both directions share the same track.
Overview
In the earliest days of railways in the United Kingdom, most lin ...
. It longitudinally crosses Croatia's continental regions
Slavonia
Slavonia (; hr, Slavonija) is, with Dalmatia, Croatia proper, and Istria, one of the four historical regions of Croatia. Taking up the east of the country, it roughly corresponds with five Croatian counties: Brod-Posavina, Osijek-Baranja ...
,
Posavina
Posavina ( sr-cyr, Посавина) is a geographical region that stretches along the Sava river, encompassing only the inner areas of the Sava river basin, that are adjacent or near to the Sava river itself, namely catch region spanning from t ...
and the Greater
Zagreb
Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slop ...
Region, connecting the most economically developed towns in Croatia with each other. The route is as follows:
*
Dobova
Dobova () is a settlement in the Municipality of Brežice in eastern Slovenia, close to the border with Croatia. The railway line from Ljubljana to Zagreb runs through the settlement and the station is an international railway border crossing. The ...
(on the Croatian
border
Borders are usually defined as geographical boundaries, imposed either by features such as oceans and terrain, or by political entities such as governments, sovereign states, federated states, and other subnational entities. Political borders c ...
with Slovenia)
*
Zagreb Glavni kolodvor
*
Sesvete
Sesvete () is the easternmost city district of Zagreb, Croatia. With a total population of 70,009 (as of 2011) it is the most populated district as well as the largest by area (165.255 km2). The settlement population is 54,085.
Administrative ...
(track split towards
Sisak
Sisak (; hu, Sziszek ; also known by other alternative names) is a city in central Croatia, spanning the confluence of the Kupa, Sava and Odra rivers, southeast of the Croatian capital Zagreb, and is usually considered to be where the Posavin ...
(electrified))
*
Dugo Selo
Dugo Selo is a town in Zagreb County, Croatia.
Geography
Dugo Selo (lit. ''Long Village'') is a 20 km drive from Zagreb city centre.
The town covers an area of 51 km² and it consists of numerous settlements. The summit of the hill M ...
(track split towards
Koprivnica
Koprivnica () is a city in Northern Croatia, located 70 kilometers northeast of Zagreb. It is the capital and the largest city of the Koprivnica-Križevci county. In 2011, the city's administrative area of 90.94 km2 had a total popu ...
(electrified)) (This is planned as the future corridor 5b)
*
Ivanić Grad Ivanić ( sr-Cyrl, Иванић, ) is a Croatian and Serbian surname.
* Delfa Ivanić (1881–1972), Serbian painter, humanitarian and writer
* Dragutin Ivanić, Croatian pilot
* Dušan Ivanić (born 1946), Croatian-born Serbian literary histori ...
,
Kutina
* the village of
Banova Jaruga
Banova Jaruga is a village in Croatia.
See also
*Banova Jaruga railway station
Populated places in Sisak-Moslavina County
Kutina
{{SisakMoslavina-geo-stub ...
(track split towards
Virovitica
Virovitica () is a Croatian city near the Hungarian border. It is situated near the Drava river and belongs to the historic region of Slavonia. Virovitica has a population of 14,688, with 21,291 people in the municipality (census 2011). It is als ...
(non-electrified))
*
Novska
Novska is a town in the Sisak-Moslavina County of Croatia. It is located in western part of the historic region of Slavonia, between Kutina and Nova Gradiška, linear distance southeast of the capital, Zagreb.
Demographics
Novska has a total pop ...
(track split backwards towards
Sisak
Sisak (; hu, Sziszek ; also known by other alternative names) is a city in central Croatia, spanning the confluence of the Kupa, Sava and Odra rivers, southeast of the Croatian capital Zagreb, and is usually considered to be where the Posavin ...
(electrified))
*
Nova Gradiška
* the combined station for the villages
Nova Kapela
Nova Kapela is a municipality in Brod-Posavina County, Croatia. There are 4,227 inhabitants in the following settlements:
* Batrina, population 1,005
* Bili Brig, population 272
* Donji Lipovac, Croatia, Donji Lipovac, population 248
* Dragovci, ...
–
Batrina
Batrina is a village in Slavonia region of Croatia. The settlement is administered as a part of Nova Kapela municipality, Brod-Posavina County. According to the 2001 census, the village has 1005 inhabitants. It is connected by the D49 state ro ...
(track split towards
Požega, and via
Pleternica towards
Našice
Našice () is a town in eastern Croatia, located on the northern slopes of the Krndija mountain in eastern Slavonia, 51 km southwest of regional hub Osijek. Administratively it belongs to Osijek-Baranja County.
Geography
Našice is located ...
(non-electrified) )
*
Slavonski Brod
Slavonski Brod (), commonly shortened to simply Brod, is a city in eastern Croatia, near the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina. Being one of the principal cities in the historical regions of Slavonia and Posavina, Slavonski Brod was the 7th large ...
* combined station for the villages
Strizivojna
Strizivojna is a village and a municipality in Osijek-Baranja County, Croatia, located between Vrpolje and Stari Mikanovci. There are 2,525 inhabitants, absolute majority of whom are Croats.
See also
*Strizivojna–Vrpolje railway station
Striz ...
–
Vrpolje
Vrpolje () is a village and a municipality in Brod-Posavina County, Croatia. It is located 10 km south of Đakovo
Đakovo (; hu, Diakovár) is a town in the region of Slavonia, Croatia. Đakovo is the centre of the fertile and rich Đa ...
(two track splits: towards
Osijek
Osijek () is the fourth-largest city in Croatia, with a population of 96,848 in 2021. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja ...
(currently non-electrified) and towards
Slavonski Šamac (electrified, Croatian border to
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...
))
*
Vinkovci
Vinkovci () is a city in Slavonia, in the Vukovar-Syrmia County in eastern Croatia. The city's registered population was 28,247 in the 2021 census, the total population of the city was 31,057, making it the largest town of the county. Surrounde ...
(four track splits: towards Osijek, Vukovar, Županja and Brčko in Bosnia and Herzegovina, before the
War of Independence
This is a list of wars of independence (also called liberation wars). These wars may or may not have been successful in achieving a goal of independence.
List
See also
* Lists of active separatist movements
* List of civil wars
* List of o ...
, Vinkovci was a highly important junction station in this part of Europe, both for passengers as well as for freight)
*
Tovarnik
Tovarnik (, sr-Cyrl, Товарник, hu, Felsőtárnok, german: Sankt Georg, la, Ulmo) is a municipality in the Vukovar-Syrmia County in Croatia next to the border with Serbia with the town of Šid and the village of Ilinci on the other sid ...
(on the Croatian border with
Serbia
Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...
)
At Vinkovci, lines extend towards
Županja and
Vukovar, both unelectrified. The
connection towards Osijek was severely damaged in the
Croatian War of Independence
The Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995 between Croat forces loyal to the Government of Croatia—which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY)—and the Serb-controlled Yugosl ...
. Repairs began in 2003 and in December 2008 the line was fully reopened.
(Zagreb)-Ogulin-Knin-(Split) line
The
Ogulin–
Knin line, also known as the "''Lička pruga''" (
en. "Lika railway") is part of the railway connection between
Zagreb
Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slop ...
and
Split. , this line is being heavily upgraded with many sharp bends and grades removed in order to allow tilting trains to travel at nearly full speed on most parts of the track. Reducing travel time from Split to Zagreb by around a third, to 5–6 hours. This track was not intended as the shortest distance between Zagreb and Split. The line via
Martin Brod which forms the border with
Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and He ...
, has been closed to passenger traffic since the
wars
War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...
of the early 1990s.
Some of the problems faced include the age of the line; it was constructed 1913-1925 and contained many curves, often in difficult terrain. Services were slow and speeds severely restricted. The modernisation has involved rebuilding entire sections of track, straightening many curvy segments by rerouting portions of the track and renewing the rails, leading to higher operational speeds. The electrification of the line is not scheduled for the near future.
Numerous stations along the line that were in the area of Serbian military occupation have been abandoned. Local trains are only functioning between Ogulin-Vrhovine (two per day). From Vrhovine to Knin there is as of 2013 no local passenger transport, even though some stations are in good condition (e.g. Medak, Malovan, Plavno). ICN tilting trains only stop in Gospić and Gračac. Some stations are to soon be renovated or rebuilt (Lovinac, Gospić); Croatian Railways, however, currently has no plans to restart local passenger transport.
In late September 2014 HŽ Putnički prijevoz abandoned the night train 824/825 between Zagreb and Split.
International corridor V
![Carrozza Hrvatske željeznice](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c4/Carrozza_Hrvatske_%C5%BEeljeznice.jpg)
The fifth
Pan-European corridor has two branches in Croatia, the "b" and "c" branch.
Corridor Vb enters Croatia in
Botovo, and runs to
Zagreb
Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slop ...
. The part from
Zagreb
Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slop ...
to
Rijeka
Rijeka ( , , ; also known as Fiume hu, Fiume, it, Fiume ; local Chakavian: ''Reka''; german: Sankt Veit am Flaum; sl, Reka) is the principal seaport and the third-largest city in Croatia (after Zagreb and Split). It is located in Primor ...
should become part of this corridor, as soon as the extension towards Rijeka is built.
Corridor Vc
European route E73 forms part of the United Nations International E-road network, connecting Hungary and eastern Croatia to Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Adriatic Sea in the vicinity of the port of Ploče. This route is also designated as the P ...
is a Pan-European railway line, running north to south within Croatia. It enters Croatia at
Beli Manastir
Beli Manastir is a town in eastern Croatia. It is the principal town of the Croatian part of Baranja, located in the Osijek-Baranja County.
Name
The name means "white monastery" in Serbo-Croatian. Originally called Monoštor, the current name w ...
on the border with Hungary, and runs through
Osijek
Osijek () is the fourth-largest city in Croatia, with a population of 96,848 in 2021. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja ...
to enter
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...
in
Slavonski Šamac. It enters Croatia again in Metković, in the very south-east of
Dalmatia
Dalmatia (; hr, Dalmacija ; it, Dalmazia; see #Name, names in other languages) is one of the four historical region, historical regions of Croatia, alongside Croatia proper, Slavonia, and Istria. Dalmatia is a narrow belt of the east shore of ...
, where it ends at the
Ploče harbour. The line crosses the Dobova-Tovarnik line in
Strizivojna
Strizivojna is a village and a municipality in Osijek-Baranja County, Croatia, located between Vrpolje and Stari Mikanovci. There are 2,525 inhabitants, absolute majority of whom are Croats.
See also
*Strizivojna–Vrpolje railway station
Striz ...
–
Vrpolje
Vrpolje () is a village and a municipality in Brod-Posavina County, Croatia. It is located 10 km south of Đakovo
Đakovo (; hu, Diakovár) is a town in the region of Slavonia, Croatia. Đakovo is the centre of the fertile and rich Đa ...
. The line is currently being heavily modernised in order to revitalise Ploče's harbour.
The part from Strizivojna-Vrpolje towards
Slavonski Šamac is fully electrified, and recently the modernised
catenary has been put into operation. The passenger traffic scheduled from
Vinkovci
Vinkovci () is a city in Slavonia, in the Vukovar-Syrmia County in eastern Croatia. The city's registered population was 28,247 in the 2021 census, the total population of the city was 31,057, making it the largest town of the county. Surrounde ...
to Slavonski Šamac (now performed by
electrical power
Electric power is the rate at which electrical energy is transferred by an electric circuit. The SI unit of power is the watt, one joule per second. Standard prefixes apply to watts as with other SI units: thousands, millions and billions of ...
) is still fragmented. The remaining part from Strizivojna-Vrpolje to region of
Osijek
Osijek () is the fourth-largest city in Croatia, with a population of 96,848 in 2021. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja ...
(heart of the region
Slavonia
Slavonia (; hr, Slavonija) is, with Dalmatia, Croatia proper, and Istria, one of the four historical regions of Croatia. Taking up the east of the country, it roughly corresponds with five Croatian counties: Brod-Posavina, Osijek-Baranja ...
) is scheduled to be electrified, as soon the general overhaul of the line track is completed, after which operating speeds will finally be raised to . The line will stay single track.
The Vinkovci-Osijek line
Before the dissolution of Yugoslavia, the
Vinkovci
Vinkovci () is a city in Slavonia, in the Vukovar-Syrmia County in eastern Croatia. The city's registered population was 28,247 in the 2021 census, the total population of the city was 31,057, making it the largest town of the county. Surrounde ...
-
Osijek
Osijek () is the fourth-largest city in Croatia, with a population of 96,848 in 2021. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja ...
line was one of the busiest branch lines of Croatia, linking two regional centres. At the time the line allowed speeds of up to 120 km/h. As a result of the war, only about 10 kilometres of the 35-km line remained intact. Most of the track was dismantled by invading Serb forces, both in the form of vandalism as well as to use the materials in barricades.
The reconstruction of this vital route was finally finished in 2008, and today the route is once again fully operational. Test runs with a measuring vehicle were successful, and speeds reaching 80 km/h were attained. The first test train had its maiden voyage along the route on 12 December 2008, and regular revenue service restarted two days later, on 14 December.
The "Unska pruga" route
The route called ''Unska pruga'' (lit.
Una railway) that connects
Zagreb
Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slop ...
and
Split along the Una river valley was once an integral part of the
Yugoslav Railways
Yugoslav Railways ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, Jugoslavenske željeznice/Jugoslovenske železnice, Југославенске жељезнице/Југословенске железнице; mk, Југословенски железници; sl, Jugoslovans ...
railway system. Today, this route remains largely unused, since much of the route virtually runs ''over'' the border between
Croatia
, image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg
, anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capit ...
and
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...
, crossing it multiple times, on the section between
Knin and
Bihać.
Although this route is largely well preserved and electrified at 25 kV/50 Hz (making it compatible with the Croatian electrification system), administrative problems concerning the many border crossings cause this route to be used only for limited freight traffic services. The designated border crossing along the line between the two countries is at the village of
Martin Brod.
Network connection problems
There are some rail network connection problems, which have historical causes. When Croatia was part of Yugoslavia, the rail network was consistently connected and managed by
Yugoslav Railways
Yugoslav Railways ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, Jugoslavenske željeznice/Jugoslovenske železnice, Југославенске жељезнице/Југословенске железнице; mk, Југословенски железници; sl, Jugoslovans ...
. As the
Yugoslav constituent states demerged, important rail links were severed.
Istria
Istria has no direct connection through Croatia. Currently, all rail operates through Slovenia, though this is planned to be solved with a tunnel
northwest
The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sep ...
ern of
Rijeka
Rijeka ( , , ; also known as Fiume hu, Fiume, it, Fiume ; local Chakavian: ''Reka''; german: Sankt Veit am Flaum; sl, Reka) is the principal seaport and the third-largest city in Croatia (after Zagreb and Split). It is located in Primor ...
.
Dubrovnik and Ploče
The Dubrovnik area is again a special case. Dubrovnik and its surrounds are an
exclave
An enclave is a territory (or a small territory apart of a larger one) that is entirely surrounded by the territory of one other state or entity. Enclaves may also exist within territorial waters. ''Enclave'' is sometimes used improperly to deno ...
, divided by the small
Neum corridor belonging to
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...
. Historically, the Dubrovnik region has been developed through sea travel. There has never been a direct rail link through Croatia to Dubrovnik, and none is planned in the future.
A large 760mm
narrow-gauge rail network was constructed in the early 20th century, when the
Kingdom of Dalmatia as well as
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...
were under Austrian control. The rail route to Dubrovnik went from
Sarajevo
Sarajevo ( ; cyrl, Сарајево, ; ''see Names of European cities in different languages (Q–T)#S, names in other languages'') is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 275,524 in its a ...
via
Mostar
Mostar (, ; sr-Cyrl, Мостар, ) is a city and the administrative center of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the historical capital of Herzegovina.
Mostar is sit ...
and
Čapljina
Čapljina ( sr-cyrl, Чапљина, ) is a city located in Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located on the border with Croatia a mere from the Adriatic Sea.
The ...
rather than to Split and Zagreb in Croatia. In 1967 the line from Sarajevo to Čapljina was upgraded to standard gauge, and from there extended not to Dubrovnik but to terminate at the nearby
Port of Ploče
The Port of Ploče ( hr, Luka Ploče) is a seaport in Ploče, Croatia, near the mouth of the Neretva river on the Adriatic Sea coast. It was formally opened in 1945 after a railway was built as a supply route to connect the site with industrial f ...
, handling freight via Bosnia.
The route from Čapljina to Dubrovnik was closed in 1975 by the Yugoslav Government, acting on the advice of foreign transport consultants. This was in spite of the attractive scenery of the route which has been compared to Switzerland's narrow gauge network. Proposals in 1985 to reopen the route were unsuccessful.
Direct trains connected Zagreb with Ploče in thirteen hours, via Bosnia and Herzegovina. There are no more passenger trains between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Some buses (with HŽ-tarification) connect Ploče with Metković and stops between both places. The road connection from Ploče to Dubrovnik is and passes through Neum.
Zadar
From 1966 passenger trains served Zadar and Knin. In around 2013 plans were put forward to upgrade the line so that it could support speeds of up to 120 km/h. However, a Serbian mine was discovered. The project was closed and all rail traffic stopped, and has not begun since. Buses have been introduced to the route, which currently run 3 times in each direction per day. The travel time is roughly the same.
Power systems
The original decision in former Yugoslavia was to use 3 kV DC electrification for the railway network. This was performed on the
Rijeka–Zagreb line, which due to the mountainous
Gorski kotar region had a need for more powerful trains than the traditional diesel powered ones.
Beginning with the modernisation of the
Zagreb–Belgrade railway
The Zagreb–Belgrade railway ( sh, Pruga Zagreb-Beograd) was the Yugoslav Railways long railway line connecting the cities of Zagreb and Belgrade in SR Croatia and SR Serbia, at the time of Yugoslavia.
It was the route of the Orient Express s ...
line an electrification system of 25 kV/50 Hz was used. Electrification on other lines in Croatia was then made exclusively 25 kV/50 Hz. Later, the majority of the
Zagreb
Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slop ...
–
Rijeka
Rijeka ( , , ; also known as Fiume hu, Fiume, it, Fiume ; local Chakavian: ''Reka''; german: Sankt Veit am Flaum; sl, Reka) is the principal seaport and the third-largest city in Croatia (after Zagreb and Split). It is located in Primor ...
line was re-electrified to 25 kV/50 Hz, but until December 2012 there was still a part that under 3 kV DC. Consequentially a power system break existed at
Moravice.
HŽ
Croatian Railways ( hr, Hrvatske željeznice; abbreviated as HŽ) is the national railway company of Croatia. Croatia is a member of the International Union of Railways (UIC). The UIC Country Code for Croatia is 78. The Croatian rail network carri ...
was considering the purchase of dual-voltage locomotives, as an alternative to full re-electrification of 3 kV DC tracks, but the idea was scrapped for good as all electrified railways in Croatia are now using 25 kV/50 Hz.
All railway power systems in Croatia are exclusively of type
overhead catenary
An overhead line or overhead wire is an electrical cable that is used to transmit electrical energy to electric locomotives, trolleybuses or trams. It is known variously as:
* Overhead catenary
* Overhead contact system (OCS)
* Overhead equipmen ...
.
Rolling stock
![HŽ locomotive 1141 303](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/H%C5%BD_locomotive_1141_303.jpg)
* 25 kV electric locomotives
** HŽ 1141.0
** HŽ 1141.1
** HŽ 1141.2
** HŽ 1141.3
** HŽ 1142.0
* Diesel locomotives
** HŽ 2041
** HŽ 2044
** HŽ 2062.0
** HŽ 2063.0
* Shunting diesel locomotives
** HŽ 2132.0
** HŽ 2132.1
** HŽ 2132.2
** HŽ 2132.3
* Electric trainsets:
** HŽ 6111.0
** HŽ 6112.0
* Diesel trainsets: 3 classes (including ICN)
** HŽ 7022.0
** HŽ 7023.0
** HŽ 7121.0
** HŽ 7121.1
** HŽ 7122.0
** HŽ 7123.0
Due to lack of passenger train-sets, sometimes some endorsed classes are still used, like 7021.0 (two left) and 7221.0 (as branch-line or backup train-sets).
Tilting trains
In 2004, 8 modern
Bombardier RegioSwinger
The RegioSwinger is a tilting diesel multiple unit (DMU) passenger train used for fast regional traffic on unelectrified lines.
Development and service
The RegioSwinger was first manufactured by Adtranz in Hennigsdorf, before it became part ...
tilting train
A tilting train is a train that has a mechanism enabling increased speed on regular rail tracks. As a train (or other vehicle) rounds a curve at speed, objects inside the train experience centrifugal force. This can cause packages to slide abo ...
s called "ICN" (short for InterCity Nagibni; Tilting InterCity) from the German branch of
Bombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation was a Canadian-German rolling stock and rail transport manufacturer, headquartered in Berlin, Germany.
It was one of the world's largest companies in the rail vehicle and equipment manufacturing and servicing industry ...
were delivered to Croatian Railways. These trains are normally deployed on the mountainous route between the two largest Croatian cities, route
Zagreb
Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slop ...
-
Split, but are also sometimes on the
InterCity
InterCity (commonly abbreviated ''IC'' on timetables and tickets) is the classification applied to certain long-distance passenger train services in Europe. Such trains (in contrast to regional, local, or commuter trains) generally call at m ...
routes in the continental part of the country. In the case of the Zagreb-Split route, this offers passengers a much more comfortable and time-saving journey with regard to previous trains whose journey took 8 hours, whereas the tilting trains take less than 5 and a half hours, and are more quiet and better equipped as well.
However, the safety of the tilting trains and their possible technical incompatibility with the conditions of the Croatian railroads are disputed after the
2009 Rudine train derailment
The Rudine derailment was a train derailment that happened on 24 July 2009 at 10:08 GMT near the village of Rudine, Split-Dalmatia County, Rudine in southern Croatia, on the Zagreb-Split (city), Split railway line. The derailment site is located ...
, an incident that occurred on 24 July of that year, in which six passengers were killed and 55 were injured in the crash. Approximately 3 years before this fatal derailment, on 24 November 2006, there was another accident in which the train's engineer was killed; the tilting train crashed into a lorry at a railroad crossing that had no ramp or warning lights.
Out of eight trainsets that were introduced in 2004, two are therefore out of service. The tilting train services may therefore have to be reduced as there are no longer enough train-sets to serve all scheduled ICN trains and destinations.
Renumbering
In 1993
HŽ
Croatian Railways ( hr, Hrvatske željeznice; abbreviated as HŽ) is the national railway company of Croatia. Croatia is a member of the International Union of Railways (UIC). The UIC Country Code for Croatia is 78. The Croatian rail network carri ...
renumbered all their vehicles. This results in some confusion to the relation to their previous numbers. All other companies, which have been formed after dissolution of
JŽ
Yugoslav Railways ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, Jugoslavenske željeznice/Jugoslovenske železnice, Југославенске жељезнице/Југословенске железнице; mk, Југословенски железници; sl, Jugoslovans ...
have kept the original numbers.
Croatian speed record
The current rail speed record in Croatia is 185 km/h. The record was set on the line between
Novska
Novska is a town in the Sisak-Moslavina County of Croatia. It is located in western part of the historic region of Slavonia, between Kutina and Nova Gradiška, linear distance southeast of the capital, Zagreb.
Demographics
Novska has a total pop ...
and
Nova Gradiška. The run was performed in order to demonstrate the possibilities offered by the
Rade Končar
Rade Končar ( sr-cyr, Раде Кончар; 6 August or 28 October 1911 – 22 May 1942) was a Serbs of Croatia, Croatian Serb politician and leader of the Yugoslav Partisans in the Independent State of Croatia and Governorate of Dalmatia, D ...
built JŽ 442 electric locomotive class (now
HŽ1142 train class). Despite being over 25 years old the 1 142 remains the fastest locomotive in operation with Croatian railways.
Future developments and projects
High-speed rail line
A fully electrified line connects
Rijeka
Rijeka ( , , ; also known as Fiume hu, Fiume, it, Fiume ; local Chakavian: ''Reka''; german: Sankt Veit am Flaum; sl, Reka) is the principal seaport and the third-largest city in Croatia (after Zagreb and Split). It is located in Primor ...
with
Zagreb
Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slop ...
, onwards towards
Koprivnica
Koprivnica () is a city in Northern Croatia, located 70 kilometers northeast of Zagreb. It is the capital and the largest city of the Koprivnica-Križevci county. In 2011, the city's administrative area of 90.94 km2 had a total popu ...
and the
Hungarian border; the railway line forms part of the European 5b corridor. A transportation bill to be passed by the
Croatian Parliament
The Croatian Parliament ( hr, Hrvatski sabor) or the Sabor is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of Croatia. Under the terms of the Croatian Constitution, the Sabor represents the people and is vested with legislative power. The Sabor ...
will see the start of construction of Croatia's first high-speed rail line along this pan-European corridor, enabling theoretical speeds of between 200 and 250 km/h with an average journey speed of no less than 160 km/h. The plan consists of retrofitting the existing track between the Hungarian border and
Karlovac
Karlovac () is a city in central Croatia. According to the 2011 census, its population was 55,705.
Karlovac is the administrative centre of Karlovac County. The city is located on the Zagreb- Rijeka highway and railway line, south-west of Zagre ...
to a double-track configuration, as well as constructing new tracks along an entirely new alignment from
Karlovac
Karlovac () is a city in central Croatia. According to the 2011 census, its population was 55,705.
Karlovac is the administrative centre of Karlovac County. The city is located on the Zagreb- Rijeka highway and railway line, south-west of Zagre ...
to
Rijeka
Rijeka ( , , ; also known as Fiume hu, Fiume, it, Fiume ; local Chakavian: ''Reka''; german: Sankt Veit am Flaum; sl, Reka) is the principal seaport and the third-largest city in Croatia (after Zagreb and Split). It is located in Primor ...
. The line's complete length will be 269 km, or 61 km shorter than the current line. Construction on the new line was announced to start in the autumn of 2008
and was to be completed before the end of 2013.
The onset of the
economic downturn of the late 2000s has put this project on indefinite hold.
The speeds of this line will enable a trip from Rijeka to Zagreb in an hour, as opposed to the current four hours. The initial route plan is described on this link
Initial proposed solution. The line is conceived primarily to better connect the
Port of Rijeka to the network of European transport, as the port serves many regions and locales across Central Europe.
Technical information
* Maximum operating speed: 160 km/h
* Train protection system used (where applicable):
INDUSI (a stripped down derivative of German system)
* Signaling system: at sight only, automatic block protection (on mainlines and where applicable)
Organisation
* HŽ Cargo d.o.o. (Cargo transport)
* HŽ Putnički prijevoz d.o.o. (Passenger transport)
* HŽ Infrastruktura d.o.o. (Railway Infrastructure)
See also
*
Transport in Croatia
Transport in Croatia relies on several main modes, including transport by car, train, ship and plane. Road transport incorporates a comprehensive network of state, county and local routes augmented by a network of highways for long-distance travel ...
References
External links
*
Map with all railway stationsForum about Croatian Railways- also with an English subforum
Map
HŽ stock photo gallery
{{authority control
Transport companies of Croatia
Rail transport in Croatia
Railway companies established in 1991
Government-owned railway companies
Government-owned companies of Croatia
Companies based in Zagreb
Croatian companies established in 1991