Croatia’s Ambitious 2026 Railway Overhaul Connecting Destinations That You Have Never Dreamt Of: Here Is What You Need To Know

Published on October 24, 2025

As nan world continues to displacement towards much sustainable and businesslike forms of transportation, Croatia is making important strides successful nan modernization of its railway infrastructure. The twelvemonth 2026 marks a pivotal infinitesimal for Croatia’s rail network, arsenic nan state embarks connected a bid of eager projects designed to amended domestic connectivity, heighten international travel options, and trim nan biology footprint of its carrier sector. These caller routes, upgrades, and modernizations are each portion of Croatia’s broader committedness to creating a much sustainable proscription network that will service some home commuters and world travelers alike.

New Routes and Upgrades: Transforming Croatia’s Rail Network

The Croatian government, successful collaboration pinch European finance banks and railway authorities, is rolling retired aggregate railway projects crossed nan country. The superior attraction is to grow rail web capacity, trim travel times, and connection sustainable and energy-efficient recreation options. Here are immoderate of nan awesome caller routes and upgrades group to debut successful 2026.

Zagreb–Rijeka Lowland Railway

One of nan astir important projects successful Croatia’s obstruction improvement scheme is nan building of nan Zagreb–Rijeka Lowland Railway, group to beryllium completed successful 2026. This task intends to importantly amended nan railway connection betwixt nan capital, Zagreb, and nan larboard metropolis of Rijeka. The caller line, which stretches 111 kilometers, will walk done towns specified arsenic Karlovac, Oštarije, and Skradnik, and will connection a overmuch much nonstop way than nan existent network.

The caller lowland railway is expected to trim recreation distances by 56 kilometers, making nan travel quicker and much businesslike for passengers. Additionally, nan authorities has ensured that this task is environmentally friendly, pinch plans successful spot to usage sustainable technologies successful nan building and cognition of nan railway. With nan completion of this caller route, Croatia will heighten its inter-city connectivity while besides promoting sustainable travel options for its citizens and tourists. Environmental clearances for nan task were finalized successful 2025, and building is progressing connected schedule.

Zagreb–Split Hybrid Trains

In different awesome measurement forward, Zagreb–Split will person hybrid trains successful 2026. These trains, which harvester electrical and diesel power, are group to switch nan older tilting trains that person been successful work for respective years. The hybrid trains are expected to supply much predominant departures and a amended rider experience, offering greater comfort and reduced power consumption.

The Zagreb–Split way is 1 of nan busiest successful nan country, connecting nan superior pinch nan celebrated coastal metropolis of Split. The preamble of these modern hybrid trains will not only amended nan wide travel experience but besides trim emissions and lend to a greener, much sustainable railway system successful Croatia. The task is financed pinch a indebtedness from nan European Investment Bank (EIB), demonstrating nan important domiciled that European financial institutions are playing successful Croatia’s railway development.

Battery-Powered Trains successful Zadar

In a bold move towards green technology, Croatia is besides group to present battery-powered trains successful nan metropolis of Zadar by nan extremity of 2026. These trains, which are manufactured by nan Croatian institution KONČAR Electric Vehicles, will run connected nan Zadar railway network, which is portion of nan broader effort to electrify and modernize Croatian obstruction infrastructure. The battery-powered trains are expected to run connected lines that presently deficiency nan infrastructure to support accepted electric trains.

Battery-powered trains are a awesome breakthrough successful Croatia’s pursuit of a much sustainable obstruction network. These trains will supply a clean, energy-efficient replacement to diesel-powered trains, contributing to a simplification successful greenhouse state emissions. This task represents a measurement toward Croatia’s extremity of eco-friendly transportation and is simply a clear denotation of nan country’s committedness to sustainability and environmental stewardship.

Virovitica–Bjelovar Battery Train

In summation to nan Zadar project, Croatia has already launched its first battery-powered train connected nan Virovitica–Bjelovar line. The battery train, built by KONČAR, began its work successful 2025 and has been instrumental successful showcasing nan feasibility of green transport successful nan country. The occurrence of this first task has paved nan measurement for further developments, pinch plans to grow nan usage of battery-powered trains crossed different parts of Croatia.

In December 2025, nan battery train is expected to statesman operating successful Split, providing residents and visitors pinch a sustainable action for walking successful this coastal region. This invention will thief trim nan c footprint of Croatia’s obstruction strategy and group an illustration for different countries looking to adopt green technologies successful their carrier networks.

Strategic Investments and Modernization Projects

While nan preamble of caller routes is important, nan Croatian authorities is besides heavy investing successful nan modernization of existing railway infrastructure. The extremity is to amended nan efficiency, speed, and information of nan web to meet nan increasing request for obstruction transport. Several cardinal projects are presently underway:

Kloštar–Koprivnica–Varaždin Line Reconstruction

One of nan awesome modernization projects successful Croatia is nan reconstruction of nan Kloštar–Koprivnica–Varaždin railway line. This €190 cardinal task will spot nan complete renewal of nan way and nan upgrading of platforms. New railway-road crossings will beryllium constructed to guarantee safety, and nan wide capacity of nan statement will beryllium importantly increased. The modernized statement will facilitate faster, much businesslike travel, and is expected to supply a boost to location economies by improving entree to these important destinations.

Dugo Selo–Novska Line Upgrade

Another important improvement is nan ongoing upgrade of nan Dugo Selo–Novska railway line, which will costs an estimated €620 million. The task intends to summation nan line’s capacity and efficiency, which is captious for maintaining beardown connections betwixt Croatia’s bluish and confederate regions. This upgrade will support freight transport, which is simply a captious constituent of Croatia’s economy, and will besides supply smoother and faster journeys for passengers walking betwixt cities.

International Connections: Strengthening Croatia’s Role successful European Rail Network

As portion of its broader strategy, Croatia is moving to amended international obstruction connections, making it easier for passengers to recreation betwixt Croatia and different European countries. One notable improvement is nan Warsaw–Rijeka Night Train, which started operating successful nan summertime of 2025. This sleeper train connects Warsaw, Poland, to Rijeka, Croatia, passing done cities for illustration Vienna, Ljubljana, and Postojna. This caller world obstruction nexus provides an affordable and comfortable action for travelers moving betwixt Poland and Croatia, strengthening Croatia’s position wrong nan European obstruction network.

Strategic Investments for Future Growth

To support each these developments, nan Croatian authorities is investing €6 billion into obstruction modernization complete nan adjacent decade. Of this amount, €1.7 billion has already been allocated to ongoing projects. These investments are basal for ensuring that Croatia’s obstruction strategy remains competitive, efficient, and sustainable. The Croatian Railway Infrastructure Manager (HZ Infrastruktura) is overseeing nan mostly of these projects, ensuring that nan country’s railway infrastructure is modernized successful statement pinch European standards.

These efforts are besides supported by nan European Union, which continues to supply financial assistance for nan modernization of Croatian obstruction infrastructure. The state is leveraging EU costs to heighten its railway system, making it much efficient, environmentally friendly, and amended connected to different parts of Europe.

The Role of Croatia’s Railway Network successful Sustainable Travel

In caller years, location has been a increasing accent connected sustainable transport solutions crossed Europe, and Croatia is nary exception. The preamble of battery-powered trains, nan modernization of existing lines, and nan building of new, energy-efficient routes are each portion of Croatia’s broader strategy to trim its biology footprint. With green technologies becoming much prevalent successful transportation, Croatia is positioning itself arsenic a leader successful sustainable obstruction travel.

Conclusion

The railway assemblage successful Croatia is poised for important maturation successful 2026, pinch caller routes, modernized infrastructure, and sustainable proscription technologies taking halfway stage. With projects specified arsenic nan Zagreb–Rijeka Lowland Railway, Zagreb–Split hybrid trains, and battery-powered trains successful Zadar, Croatia is making awesome strides successful processing an efficient, sustainable obstruction network. The investments being made coming will not only amended home connectivity but will besides heighten Croatia’s domiciled wrong nan European obstruction network, benefiting some residents and world travelers. As nan state continues to prioritize sustainability, nan early of Croatian obstruction recreation looks promising, offering a glimpse into a much connected, greener future.