A 23.9-km section of single-track railway between the city of Zapreśic in Croatia’s Zagreb County and the town of Zabok in Krapina-Zagorje County is being rebuilt and electrified with support from EU funding. Located within the region of Continental Croatia, the line forms part of a key commuter corridor, providing a link with the capital, Zagreb. It has, however, had temporary speed restrictions imposed due to lack of maintenance.
- 29 March 2018
Reconfiguration of curves will entail the relocation of 6 km of track so as to raise the maximum safe speed on the line to 120 km/h. This will cut journey times for normal passenger trains from around 40 to 28 minutes, and for express trains from 31 to 14 minutes.
Installation of new signalling, interlocking, telecommunications and remote traffic control equipment will also make journeys faster and safer.
Refitting of stations and level crossings
The stations at Novi Dvori, Luka, Veliko Trgovišće and Zabok will be rebuilt, with new platforms at least 160 m in length, underpasses, shelters, parking spaces and station buildings. Zabok station will be split into passenger and freight sections, and will get a new building for signalling, interlocking and telecommunications devices, and an office for staff.
Platforms and shelters will be built and parking spaces created at the stops at Pojatno, Kupljenovo and Žeinci, while stations and stops all along the line will be fitted with video surveillance and public address systems for passengers.
Modernisation of 15 level crossings involves installation of automatic safety systems and synthetic flooring. Four crossings will be merged with neighbouring crossings via connecting roads, while a further crossing will be eliminated altogether in order to raise maximum speeds, line capacity and safety levels at intersections between the railway and the roads.
Railway structures to be built include four reinforced concrete bridges at Vučerna, Lužki Potok, Črnec and Horvacka, along with a road bridge at Horvacka. For drainage purposes, 35 culverts will be set up and drainage canals, abutments and supporting walls will be built where necessary.
Economic and environmental benefits
The Zaprešić-Zabok section of railway forms part of the Zagorje regional railway line linking Zaprešić with the city of Čakovec, close to the borders with Slovenia and Hungary. By increasing the capacity of an important connection with Zagreb, the project will contribute to economic development in an area that is already expected to grow significantly in the medium term. Electrification will also bring environmental benefits by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and noise.
In addition, the refurbishment will strengthen the rail network in Croatia as a whole and enhance the competitiveness of the railways as a means of passenger transport. The latter will contribute to achieving the project’s objectives of bringing about a modal shift towards rail and increasing public transport use in north-west Croatia.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Reconstruction and Electrification of Zapreśic – Zabok railway section” is EUR 101 746 432, with the EU’s Cohesion Fund contributing EUR 68 714 700 through the “Competitiveness and Cohesion” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period.