The Croatian railway infrastructure company H Zinfrastruktura has launched the public procurement procedure for the 83 km railway upgrade from Dugo Selo to Novska. The project is part of the Pan-European Transport Network (TEN-T) Corridor X, which aims to connect Salzburg in Austria and Thessaloniki in Greece. The project has a total budget of around €620 million and is funded by the EU through the Connecting Europe Fund (CEF) and the Competitiveness and Cohesion Programme (PKK).

The upgrade includes retrofitting existing lines and building a second track to increase rail capacity and efficiency. The scope of the work covers the renovation and upgrading of several stations, such as Dugo Selo, Ivanico-grad, Popovac, Kutina and Novska stations. In addition, stations such as Dianovets, Moslavacchika-Gracica and Lipovliani will be converted into stops or dispatch points. The project also includes the construction of a new station at Oke? inec and the closure of the Pre-ec station.

To improve safety, most level crossings will be graded or closed, with only a few remaining, such as Ostrna, Kriz, Lipovica and Voloder. In addition, the project will install new traffic control and signaling systems and upgrade rail electrification infrastructure. After the upgrade is completed, the maximum speed of the line can reach 160 km/h. The tender deadline is April 8, 2025 and the expected construction period is five years from the date the contractor starts work. The project is an important step in Croatia's drive to modernise its railways and integrate into the pan-European transport network, and is expected to significantly improve regional transport efficiency and connectivity. Editor/Xu Shengpeng