Upgrades to Hrvatski Leskovac-Karlovac section of Croatia’s Zagreb-Rijeka railway

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The work includes reconstruction of the Hrvatski Leskovac, Jastrebarsko and Karlovac stations and Mavračići, Desinec, Domagović and Lazina stops, and conversion of the Horvati, Zdenčina and Draganić stations into stops.Further features involve installation of electronic signal security and telecommunications devices, level 1 European Train Control System infrastructure and centralised traffic management. A new electrification system will be put in place. The overhead contact line on the existing track will be re-erected and a new line hung on the second track. The Zdenčina and Mrzlo Polje electric traction substations will be rebuilt.Security at level crossings will be enhanced and some crossings will be eliminated, either through adoption of alternative solutions or modifications to the road network. Bridges, culverts and road underpasses will be upgraded to take account of the second track, while new animal passages and noise barriers will be set up.A key linkThe M202 is one of Croatia’s most important railways, linking its capital Zagreb with its principal Adriatic port, Rijeka. Also, the M604 Oštarije-Knin-Split line branches off from it at Oštarije to connect central Croatia with central Dalmatia, where the cities of Split, Šibenik and Zadar are located.The existing single-track M202 has speed limits of 75-140 km/h and additional restrictions in some areas on account of the condition of the infrastructure. It is seen as a bottleneck due to capacity and siding length constraints, with the maximum train length at stations being 630 m. Moreover, stops, stations and signalling and safety systems on the line do not meet TEN-T interoperability specifications.The railway is well-situated in relation to populated areas and has the potential to attract large numbers of passengers. As for freight, most flows on the line go to or from the port of Rijeka. The Rijeka railway node, which links the port with the interior of Croatia and the entire European transport system, has not changed significantly in the past 100 years and planned capacity increases at the port make it necessary to boost rail capacity.Modal shiftMain objectives of the project are to overcome bottlenecks in this part of the TEN-T network, including by raising the maximum train length at stations to 750 m and the target speed limit to 160 km/h respectively. This will shorten journey times and enhance the quality of urban-suburban, regional and long-distance services.Other aims involve meeting interoperability requirements and improving freight connections between the port of Rijeka and key foreign markets, including Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Poland and Serbia.By bolstering the potential of one of Croatia’s main logistics centres, the project should foster a modal shift from road to rail for freight. It aims to do the same for passengers, particularly within urban and regional contexts by better integrating the railways into local transport systems. Such a shift will reduce the environmental impact of transport, while the upgrades will make the railway more resilient to extreme weather.Total investment and EU fundingTotal investment for the project “Reconstruction of the existing track and construction of the second track on the Hrvatski Leskovac-Karlovac section of the railway line M202 Zagreb Main Station-Rijeka” is EUR 465 091 050, with the EU’s Cohesion Fund contributing EUR 311 209 174 through the “Competitiveness and Cohesion” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “Developing and rehabilitating comprehensive, high quality and interoperable railway systems, and promoting noise-reduction measures”.