Zaprešić-Čakovec Railway

The Zaprešić–Čakovec railway, officially designated as the R201 railway, is a railway line in northwest Croatia that connects the towns of Zaprešić and Čakovec, opened in 1886 in former Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia. It is partially electrified single-tracked railway. The section between Zaprešić and Zabok is also a branch part of Pan-European Corridor X. Most of the corridor passes through Hrvatsko Zagorje region, connecting the largest part of Međimurje and Hrvatsko Zagorje with Zagreb, spanning through four counties. The line separates at the Zaprešić station from the M101 railway. Before 2021, the line was non-electrified.

The R201 railway also connects to the R106 line (towards Krapina, Đurmanec and Croatia-Slovenia state border) in Zabok, to the L202 line at Hum Lug, the L201 and R202 lines in Varaždin and the M501 and L101 lines in Čakovec.

Reconstruction of the Zaprešić - Zabok section

Between 2018 to 2021, the complete section between stations Zaprešić (excluded) and Zabok was modernized/reconstructed, which resulted in splitting of almost all direct passenger lines Zagreb - Zabok - Varaždin - (Čakovec - Kotoriba) in two, as the EMU trains started to cover mostly all lines between Zagreb and Zabok, while DMU trains continued to cover lines on the rest of the track. Reconstruction included following:

-electrification

-improvement of the construction parameters of the railway to designed construction speed of a maximum of 120 kph (74.6 mph)

-diversion of the original route to a total of 6 km of track, which reduced the running times of passenger trains by 30 to 50 percent

-reconstruction of the stations Novi Dvori, Luka, Veliko Trgovišće and Zabok, including the construction of new 55-meter high platforms (useful length at least 160 m), underpasses, canopies, parking lots, reconstruction of station buildings (excluding Zabok), separation of Zabok station into passenger and freight terminal, construction of a new building for accommodation of signaling, security and telecommunication devices and the office for executive staff at Zabok station

-installation of the new 55-meter high platforms, canopies and parking lots at the Pojatno, Kupljenovo and Žeinci stops

-installation of a system of video surveillance and visual and audio notification for passengers at stations and stops

-installation of a new signal-safety and telecommunication devices and devices for remote traffic control on the section

-modernization of the 15 level crossing using modern automatic security and synthetic lifting; redirection of the four crossings with connecting roads to adjacent crossings and abolition of one - all in order to increase the permitted speed of trains and the level of safety at intersections of railways and roads

-arrangement and complete reconstruction of the railway structures such as four new reinforced concrete bridges ''Vučerna'', ''Lužki Potok'', ''Črnec'' and ''Horvacka'' and the road bridge ''Horvacka''; arrangement of the 35 culverts and canals for drainage works; raising of the retaining / supporting walls in places where it is necessary,

Completion of the section's modernization also marked the end of regular operation of classically compounded passenger trains (railroad cars hauled by separate locomotive) on the corridor, which were, together with DMU trains, an indispensable part of the railway in this area for many years.

Images of stations

File:Zeljeznicki kolodvor Zapresic.jpg, Zaprešić
File:Veliko Trgovišće (Bahnhof).jpg, Veliko Trgovišće (view of the station before reconstruction)
File:Zabok (Bahnhof).jpg, Zabok (view of the station before reconstruction)
File:Zabok station after reconstruction (2021).jpg, Zabok (view of the station after reconstruction, 2021)
File:Bedekovčina railway station.JPG, Bedekovčina
File:Konšćina (Bahnhof).jpg, Konjščina
File:Zlatar Bistrica (Bahnhof).jpg, Zlatar Bistrica
File:HŽ 2044 001 (Budinščina).jpg, Budinščina
File:HŽ 2044 016.jpg, Mađarevo
File:Novi Marof (Bahnhof).jpg, Novi Marof
File:Varaždin (Bahnhof).jpg, Varaždin
File:Željeznički kolodvor Čakovec - jug.jpg, Čakovec

Maps

References

External links

{{commonscat-inline, Zaprešić–Čakovec railway line

Railway lines in Croatia
Buildings and structures in Čakovec
Buildings and structures in Varaždin
Railway line