Croatia’s Minister of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure, Žarko Tušek, and the Chairman of HŽ Infrastruktura, Ivan Kršić,have announced that by the end of this year Dugo Selo – Križevci rail project will be entirely completed.
The project covers the reconstruction of the existing track and construction of a second track.
“According to the information we have received so far, the pace of work is satisfactory and the entire project is moving towards completion. If there are any challenges that the Ministry can help resolve, we are here to ensure that the whole endeavour is completed within the set deadlines,” the minister said.
According to HŽ Infrastruktura, the section from Dugo Selo to Vrbovec is already connected and few structures will be completed soon. At Dugo Selo station, work is being carried out on the right-hand side, and the goal is to have the entire double-track Dugo Selo – Križevci rail line, connected by the end of the year, along with all overpasses completed and half of the station works in Dugo Selo finalised.
At that point, trains could already begin operating on the new section, with the remaining works at Dugo Selo station to be completed the following year.
“Works on the project have definitely intensified, although we haven’t had the best luck with the weather – the rainy periods haven’t worked in our favour, which has slightly affected the pace. All works are expected to be completed by April next year, and that is still our current projection,” Žarko Tušek said.
The Chairman of the Management Board of the contractor Dalekovod, Eugen Paić-Karega, explained that currently 200 workers are deployed on-site and, if weather conditions remain favourable, there is no reason why the planned deadlines should not be met.
“The start of works at Dugo Selo station was one of our greater challenges, given the heavy rail traffic passing through the station. Despite the ongoing construction, train operations have continued, and once we crossed that Rubicon, we managed to accomplish a great deal. From this point on, everything should proceed according to the planned schedule. The overpasses are expected to be completed in June, and all bridges by September,” Eugen Paić-Karega said.
The 38.2 km Dugo Selo – Križevci rail project has a total value of EUR 193.4 million from the grant agreement, and EUR 196 million was the value of the signed contract. A EUR 23.5 million grant agreement was signed in 2015 securing co-financing through the Transport Operational Programme 2007 – 2013 (TOP) from the European Regional Development Fund. EUR 3.5 million was the financing through the State Budge.
In 2016, HŽ Infrastruktura signed a EUR 164.6 million construction contract with a consortium consisting of DIV Grupa, Dalekovod and Zagreb Montaža while a EUR 2.5 million supervision service contract was signed with a consortium consisting of Investinženjering and SGS Adriatica and was completed at the end of 2021.
The project included the reconstruction a 36.4 km line and the construction of the second track along the entire 38.2 km line, including the reconstruction of Dugo Selo, Vrbovec and Križevci stations and the associated stops. the project also involves the construction of six new bridges and the reconstruction of 17 existing ones, as well as the removal of 17 level crossings, which will be replaced by 12 grade-separated crossings and 2 pedestrian crossings.
Hungarian rail connection
Dugo Selo – Križevci rail line is one of the important corridors of Croatia that by modernising the entire railway towards Koprivnica, is providing the cross-border connection with Hungary, through the Gyekenyes town, at the Hungarian border, and the entire line is part of the Rijeka – Zagreb – Budapest mainline on the Mediterranean corridor.
The 42.6 km line from Križevci to Koprivnica will be reconstructed and a second track will be constructed towards the Hungarian border, as well as seven bridges, 1 gallery and 3 viaducts. Under the project, two stations and four stops will be reconstructed and one station – Novo Drnje will be constructed.
In 2020, HŽ Infrastruktura awarded Cengiz Insaat Sanayi ve Ticaret a EUR 320.9 million contract for the Križevci – Koprivnica rail project and a consortium of Centar za organizaciju građenja and DB Engineering & Consulting was awarded a EUR 5.3 million supervision contract.
Following the completion of the project, trains will be able to run at 160 km/h from Dugo Selo to the Hungarian border.
EUR 1.7 billion is the value of investment in Croatia’s rail projects until 2035 and plans to further invest EUR 6 billion. It is expected that by the end of this year 70 new trains will operation on the rail network and in preparation there is a contract for 13 additional trains including battery and electro-diesel multiple units. The Minister of Infrastructure has recently announced that 130 new and modern trains will operate across Croatia’s rail network by 2032.
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