Croatia’s first battery train officially entered passenger service on 29 September 2025, following a ceremony attended by the Minister of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure, Oleg Butković, the CEO of HŽ Passenger Transport, Željko Ukić, and the CEO of Končar – Electrical Industry, Gordan Kolak, along with their respective teams.
The train was developed as part of the Implementation of Green Technologies in Passenger Rail Transport project, funded through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan 2021–2026 (NRRP). In May, the first battery-electric train began regular service on the Zagreb–Bjelovar–Zagreb route. The wider project also includes the construction of six charging stations in Bjelovar, Virovitica, Osijek, Varaždin, Pula and Split Predgrađe.
“We are witnessing the journey with Croatia’s first battery train, marking another major leap for our domestic industry. The train was manufactured by Končar and the project is financed through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, continuing our significant investment cycle in modernising rail infrastructure and rolling stock,” said the Minister.
The new battery-powered train has a range of 200 kilometres and will be deployed on non-electrified lines operating in Split and the surrounding areas from December.
“The first journey of a battery train in regular passenger service is a major breakthrough for the domestic industry and for sustainable mobility. This project is the result of our experts’ knowledge, innovation and dedication. We’re proud to contribute tangibly to the green transition and the modernisation of rail transport. The vehicles we develop not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also raise the bar in terms of comfort, safety and travel quality,” said the CEO of Končar.
The total value of the project is EUR 17.1 million, with EUR 13.3 million provided through NRRP funding.
Following its inaugural journey, the battery train will operate on the Virovitica–Bjelovar–Virovitica route and will also be used to test the charging infrastructure, which is currently in the final stages of construction. Once the charging station at Split Predgrađe is commissioned—expected by mid-December 2025—the train will begin serving the Split–Kaštel Stari–Split route.
The battery train is a two-car, low-floor unit equipped with ramps for wheelchair access, space for bicycles, and accessible toilets. Both the interior and exterior are under video surveillance, and passenger areas feature screens for video content. Passengers benefit from audio and visual station announcements, as well as free onboard Wi-Fi.
It offers 113 seated and 114 standing places, and can be coupled with next-generation low-floor trains to increase capacity.
The train is designed to operate on non-electrified sections of the Croatian rail network, with a maximum speed of 120 km/h. It runs solely on batteries, charged exclusively at dedicated charging stations, with full charging taking up to 30 minutes.
This project forms part of HŽ Passenger Transport’s ongoing rolling stock modernisation programme, aimed at enhancing local and regional mobility and ensuring a more efficient, competitive and sustainable railway passenger transport system in Croatia.
By the end of this year, HŽ Passenger Transport will introduce two more new diesel multiple units. In 2026, six new comfortable hybrid trains will serve the Zagreb–Split route. In June, the national rail passenger operator signed a contract for the supply of 13 additional trains, including diesel-electric units, BEMUs and battery units.
“Through these investments, we aim to significantly improve services on non-electrified lines by 2028, providing passengers with more reliable, eco-friendly, quieter and energy-efficient mobility,” said the CEO of HŽ Passenger Transport.
New diesel-electric train starts running
The introduction of Croatia’s first battery train fllows another event, held on 2 October, marking the deployment of a new diesel-electric train, also manufactured by Končar, operating on the Zabok–Krapina–Đurmanec route, which also extends across the border to Rogatec in Slovenia.
“This is yet another high-value investment that raises the standard of rail travel in Krapina-Zagorje County. Thirteen more new trains are ahead of us, including six diesel-electric units that will begin operating next year, linking Dalmatia with inland Croatia,” said State Secretary Žarko Tušek from the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure.
The trains are equipped with free Wi-Fi and air conditioning, and are adapted for passengers with reduced mobility.
“We aim to bring more trains to all regions of Croatia, especially this one. Of the 37 services operating between Zabok, Krapina and Đurmanec, 28 will be served by modern low-floor trains. We will also enhance services on the stretch from Zabok to Gornja Stubica.
At the beginning of 2028, we expect the delivery of new battery-electric trains, and with their arrival, we will complete our goal of operating only new trains in this area,” said the CEO of HŽ.
The new diesel-electric train of series 7023 has 167 seated and 175 standing places. It is equipped with four pairs of double-leaf doors, ramps for wheelchair access, space for bicycles, an audio-visual passenger information system, and video surveillance. Passengers have access to free onboard Wi-Fi.
The train can reach a maximum speed of 120 km/h. By the end of this year, a seventh train of this type will be delivered, completing the delivery of diesel-electric multiple units financed by a EUROFIMA loan of EUR 31 million.
HŽ Passenger Transport now operates 68 new trains, 40 of which have been delivered in the past four years, and the company is in the process of procuring 21 more, including additional battery and battery-electric trains.
These two projects are part of broader investments in the rail system worth EUR 1.5 billion. Investments in railway infrastructure, including the renewal of local and regional lines, are supported by a loan from the European Investment Bank.
Among the largest investments is the EUR 600 million Dugo Selo–Novska project. By the end of the year, the Zagreb–Hungarian border line will be completed, resulting in a fully renovated and modernised railway section.
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