Croatia to invest €6 billion in railway modernization by 2035

Croatia plans to invest approximately six billion euros in the renovation and modernization of its railway network by 2035. The initiative, led by HŽ Infrastruktura and the Ministry of Sea, Transport and Infrastructure, aims to increase train speeds and track capacity across the country.

Upon completion, the modernization is expected to enable passenger train speeds of up to 160 km/h on international lines, 120 km/h on regional lines, and 80 km/h on local lines. Key projects include the reconstruction of existing tracks and the construction of second tracks on major corridors, such as the Križevci - Koprivnica - state border, Dugo Selo - Križevci, and Hrvatski Leskovac - Karlovac sections.

Currently, speed restrictions are common due to infrastructure conditions and ongoing maintenance. Officials note that investments in the railway sector are at their highest in Croatian history, with over two billion euros invested in the last decade and 2025 seeing investment levels nearly five times higher than in 2017.